Ryan Garcia Pays Devin Haney $1.5m, loses WBC championship

Ryan Garcia exceeded the contracted weight for the world super lightweight title by 3.2 pounds, resulting in more than just a financial loss for the Golden Boy star.

In addition to his weight issue, Garcia found himself obligated to pay Haney $1.5 million due to a bet made at the final press conference, effectively forfeiting his chance at the WBC championship. Securing victory against Haney would have marked Garcia's first professional title, but the opportunity slipped away due to the agreement reached between their teams to proceed with the fight.

Golden Boy promptly issued a statement confirming Garcia's commitment to honor a $500,000 per pound wager with Haney. "Ryan has exceeded his contractual weight. He will uphold the agreement made at yesterday's final press conference. The fight will proceed," the promotional company stated.

Tensions heightened at the final media gathering before the fight as Garcia's demeanor raised concerns about his mental state. Displaying erratic behavior, including shouting at the crowd and using profanity, Garcia knowingly sacrificed a significant sum of money, aware that he would not meet the 140-pound limit. All of this occurred prior to the weigh-in event, which took place at 2 pm ET in New York. Despite the drama, the fight proceeded as scheduled.