Ryan Garcia is all set for what will be the biggest fight of his career so far. Taking on a familiar foe in Devin Haney, Garcia has the chance to break the tie against the man he has faced many times before. As it turns out, he will also have a new advantage going into this matchup.
For those unaware, the weigh-ins for Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia recently took place. In the press conference that preceded it, Haney and Garcia made a bet of forfeiting $500,000 per pound of weight missed by either fighter. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, it was Ryan who missed weight by 3 lbs for the 140-lbs contest. As a result, he will be forced to shell out $1.5 million to his opponent.
‼️ Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia WILL still go ahead tomorrow night, despite Garcia coming in 3.2lbs overweight, as the camps have agreed a deal. Haney has said that Garcia honoured their press conference bet and will pay him $500,000 per pound overweight (a total of $1.5million).
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) April 19, 2024
Notably, this also means that he is no longer eligible for Haney’s WBC Super Lightweight title. All things considered, many see this as part of Ryan Garcia’s long list of problematic behaviors coming into the fight. Whilst the issue of his mental health state has been raised by many, it seems that the fighter will be allowed to proceed.
How much is Ryan Garcia expected to weigh against Devin Haney?
Interestingly, amid all the drama surrounding Ryan Garcia’s weight miss and the bet he made with Devin Haney, a key detail about his weight has gone unnoticed. During the weigh-ins, Ryan came in at 143 lbs, the same weight he fought Oscar Duarte at, in his last fight. Moreover, it is projected that Garcia will further rehydrate up to 160 lbs before fight night.
For the most part, rehydrating after making weight is a common practice. With Devin Haney making the 140-lb limit, he is also expected to come up to the 160-lb mark on fight night, the same as he did for his previous fight against Regis Prograis. Previously, Bill Haney, Devin’s father confirmed that there is no rehydration clause, which means that the fighters can weigh whatever they want on fight night.
Thus, for Ryan Garcia, who already did not cut down to the 140-lb mark, it will be much easier to fully rehydrate and be in the best shape, and as strong as he can be. Whether it will be a big difference-maker or not, remains to be seen. Either way, it will be considered an advantage for ‘KingRy’, especially considering what he went through for the Gervonta Davis fight.
Ryan Garcia was severely depleted taking on Gervonta Davis last year
For those unaware, Ryan Garcia took on Gervonta Davis in a blockbuster fight last year. Contested as a 136-lb catchweight bout, it came with further rehydration restrictions for Garcia. As such, it meant that after making weight, the fighter was only allowed to rehydrate up to 10 lbs or the 146 lbs limit. Thus, a much depleted Garcia could be seen in the fight, which ultimately ended up costing him as well.
In a recent podcast with the NELK BOYS, the 25-year-old further broke down the situation from a year ago:
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“Literally, I stepped into the ring with a separated rib. And this is not an excuse, but I was severely dehydrated, so anything I got touched with affected me in the ring. When I was sparring, I had blisters all over my mouth. I had heat flushes at night, I was severely shaking at night.”
Thus, as a result of having to make 136 lbs and having to stay below 146 lbs, Garcia was a shell of himself. For his fight against Oscar Duarte, we saw a much more filled-out and stronger version of Ryan Garcia as won by KO in Round 8. All things considered, despite the belt no longer being on the line, Garcia intends to do everything necessary to win. With questions over his mental health and dedication, the fight will make for an interesting watch.
