Ryan Garcia claimed he’s “done” with boxing — at least for now. While taking to X on Thursday, June 20, the 25-year-old athlete announced he is stepping back from the sport.
“I’ll still be training, but I’m hurt and done with it and everyone,” he wrote in one tweet. “The sad part is I’m a great boxer And I entertain and knock people out. I’m sad bc I [love] boxing. Praying for everyone and I hope everyone has a great life.”
I’m officially retired
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) June 19, 2024
Ryan followed up in a series of tweets that day. In one, he wrote, “I’m officially retired” but added in a separate post, “It’s okay I’m retired I’ll come back ina year [sic].” In a subsequent tweet, Ryan wrote, “I was already retired, so I’ll just come back out of retirement for a year.”
Earlier this month, the boxer was arrested for alleged property damage at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, California. Per BBC Sport, Beverly Hills police were called to the property after an “intoxicated person” was reported.
“It was determined that Mr Garcia was a registered guest of the hotel and had caused damage to a guest room and the hallway of the hotel,” the outlet reported. “Hotel management requested the arrest of Mr Garcia for property damage. He was arrested and transported by the Beverly Hills Fire Department to a local hospital for medical care.”
The arrest came weeks after Ryan tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug before his fight against Devin Haney.
From my team to yours 💙💙💙 https://t.co/vb1V5iK4x5
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) June 20, 2024
Throughout his recent series of tweets, Ryan shared a statement from his team, which claimed that he “was a victim of substance contamination, with levels measured in the billions and trillions of a gram, which provided no advantage whatsoever in the ring.”
“Ryan, with his legal team, has resolved this issue and firmly maintains his truth: he never intentionally took any banned substance,” the statement read. “It’s simply not in his nature.”
Additionally, the statement pointed out that the athlete will “continue to elevate the sport and will be actively involved in advocating for reform. We hope future changes in our system will address issues like this one.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
