Ryan Garcia arrested on vandalism charge as downward spiral continues
Incident is latest in string of them, including two failed drug tests
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The troubles continue for Ryan Garcia.
The boxing star was arrested on Saturday for felony vandalism at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, California, after the hotel accused him of causing around $15,000 in damage. In California, damage more than $400 is considered a felony.
TMZ, which reported that Garcia is accused of damaging his room and the hallway, posted a video to social media showing a shirtless Garcia wearing a helmet and in handcuffs being led out of the hotel by police.
Garcia was booked into the Beverly Hills jail but later transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for evaluation and treatment after complaining of an undisclosed medical issue.
TMZ later reported that Garcia “may be charged with public intoxication.”
On Wednesday, a Garcia family member called police seeking a welfare check on Garcia at the hotel but nothing came of it.
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“We are aware of the recent arrest. This comes at an extraordinarily challenging time for Ryan, as he has been grappling with devastating news regarding his mother's health,” Garcia adviser Guadalupe Valencia said in a statement.”
Garcia recently posted to social media that his mother, Lisa Garcia, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“First and foremost, we urge everyone to respect Ryan's privacy during this difficult period,” Valencia said. “Ryan has been open about his struggles with mental health over the years and at this time he is dealing with an immense emotional burden. The support and understanding from fans and the public are crucial as he navigates these personal challenges.
“We are working diligently to provide Ryan with the resources he needs. Our team is committed to ensuring that he receives the appropriate help and care to address both his immediate and long-term well-being. We ask for continued support and compassion as Ryan focuses on his family and his health at this time.”
Also on Saturday, Garcia accused his promoter and broadcaster of having not paid him for his April 20 fight against Devin Haney.
“Still no payment, GBP (Golden Boy Promotions) and DAZN,” Garcia wrote in a since-deleted post. “Even if you don’t like me the fact I haven’t received payment for my fight is messed up.”
Haney later responded to Garcia’s post, “Same.”
In response to the accusations, Golden Boy Promotions issued a pointed statement.
“As we have always done with all our fighters, Golden Boy paid Ryan and Devin exactly what they are owed under their contracts,” the statement said. “As with all PPV events, revenue comes in over time and additional payments will be made when more money is received. If they aren’t aware of this fact, we would hope that their managers are. Or perhaps Ryan and Devin should pay more attention to their contracts than their social media feeds.”
Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs), 25, of Los Angeles, also faces fallout from his failed drug tests related to the bout.
Garcia scored three knockdowns in a majority decision win over WBC junior welterweight titlist Haney in their pay-per-view fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, but Garcia twice tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing drug Ostarine. One failed test was from a random Voluntary Anti-Doping Association urine test the day before the fight, whose results were not known until after the fight, and one from another urine sample collected on the day of the bout.
As expected, his B samples were also positive.
Garcia, who was not eligible to 140-pound world title because he was 3.2 pounds overweight — which he later said he did on purpose to give himself an edge — faces a hearing before the New York State Athletic Commission later this summer. The date has not been set yet.
Garcia faces a likely suspension and the result of the fight being overturned to either a no contest or a disqualification loss, which is what Haney’s team is pushing for.
Garcia’s behavior leading up to the fight was also extremely erratic as he bragged about partying and drinking during fight week. He even drank a bottle of beer while standing on the scale for the ceremonial weigh-in the day before the bout.
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Garcia photo: Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy
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Its a shame as he is a talented boxer, when viewed in isolation his infringements are minor but of late he has become a catalogue of disaster. He needs to get out of the public eye and maybe undergo a period of rehab, he was probably more famous for his social media friendly posts but that fan base will disappear soon, he also needs to remember that as a boxer he is putting his health on the line every time he fights and to go into a major fight against a backdrop of drugs and drink could result in serious injury. Oscar as a promoter is also not a good thing, there is clearly serious unrest in the camp and that cannot be good for an already fragile mind set.
This latest incident kind of reframes my perception of him. I know he’s had mental health issues in the past, and maybe all of his asshole-ish behavior stems from this. I am hoping he can get the kind of help he needs and maybe he can resume his boxing career, where he is clearly a huge talent, and if he can get it together, there are more huge fights and paydays to be had for him.