25-year-old professional boxer Ryan Garcia has once again found himself at the center of a controversy. Less than a month ago, Garcia found himself in police custody for property damage at a Beverly Hills hotel. Now, the World Boxing Council has banned Garcia due to an incident.
Here is what happened to Garcia and why the WBC expelled him.
What did Ryan Garcia say?
Garcia reportedly used racist slurs and Islamophobic language and attacked George Floyd during an X Spaces session on Thursday, July 4, as per Fox News.
In June 2024, Beverly Hills police arrested Garcia on suspicion of felony vandalism after the management of Waldorf Astoria reported property damage to one of their guest rooms and the hallway, as reported by BBC Sport.
In April, Garcia failed multiple drug tests before and after his fight with Devin Haney. This prompted the New York State Athletic Commission to hand him a year-long suspension. Further, his victory in the bout was overturned to no contest, according to Forbes.
Why did the WBC expel Ryan Garcia?
After Garcia made those comments, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce Garcia’s expulsion from the organization. “Exercising my authority as president of the WBC, I am hereby expelling Ryan Garcia from any activity with our organization,” he posted. “We reject any form of discrimination. I fear for Ryan well being as he has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse.”
Back in April, Sulaiman stated that the WBC would not issue a suspension of its own due to apprehension about the boxer’s mental health, as per BBC Sport.
After the recent incident, Garcia’s family released a statement disavowing his remarks. As reported by The Guadian, they claimed that what Garcia said did not reflect what he and the rest of the family believed. “Our family unequivocally does not support any statements [Garcia] has made regarding race or religion – these do not reflect who Ryan truly is and how he was raised,” the statement read. “Those who know Ryan can attest to this fact. Ryan has been open about his ongoing struggle with mental health over the years and as a family we are committed to ensuring and encouraging that he receives the necessary help to navigate this very challenging time and address both his immediate and long-term well-being.”
