Ryan Garcia suddenly announced his retirement from boxing.
The 25-year-old former WBC interim lightweight champion made the announcement in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
“I am officially retired,” Garcia wrote three hours after posting. “I just want to dump my meme coins and run away and love you all from afar.”
The American was visibly furious as he awaited a decision from the New York State Athletic Commission on a possible suspension.
This follows two positive drug tests from samples taken the day before and the day of his most recent win over Devin Haney in May.
“My mother has cancer, I'm being sued, my supplements are contaminated, [through] “After my divorce, all the internet abuse, years of Devin trying to strip me of my wins, and all the attacks I've been through, I still love God and He is everything,” Garcia tweeted Wednesday.
Garcia later added that “boxing will be fine without me,” before admitting later, “But it's a shame because I enjoyed the fight… I enjoyed hitting people.”
Garcia's majority decision victory over Haney in late April had long been shrouded in controversy after two supplements Garcia was allegedly taking “were found to contain the banned substance ostarine,” according to the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Institute via ESPN.
Garcia's B sample was later found to also contain ostarine, ESPN reported.
Throughout the incident, Garcia repeatedly and vehemently denied taking drugs.
“This supports what we have maintained all along: Ryan was the victim of supplement contamination and has never knowingly used any banned or performance-enhancing substances,” his lawyers said in a statement, via USA Today.
“Any assertion to the contrary that questions Ryan's integrity as a clean fighter is patently false and defamatory.”
Boxing Scene reporter Lance Pugmire reported Tuesday that Garcia should know this week whether he will be suspended by the NYSAC.
That same day, Haney also took to Twitter to tease a future bout with Garcia, suggesting he thought his opponent would be suspended.
“Take your time, spend your money, travel the world, [be] “Ryan is back two years after his suspension and can fight again,” he wrote.
“Ryan has voluntarily submitted to numerous tests throughout his career, all of which have returned negative results, underscoring his commitment to fair and clean competition,” his lawyers said.
“Additionally, his multiple negative tests leading up to the Haney fight further support his clean record.”
“The extremely low levels of ostarine detected in his samples – just a few parts per billion of a gram – and the cleanliness of his hair samples prove contamination rather than intentional ingestion.”
“Recent test results reaffirm this.”
If Garcia's decision to retire is final, it appears he's already eyeing a future career change.
“You might see me out and about, but boxing wise, who knows,” he tweeted.
“There's been so much corruption and I'm sick of it. I might do some acting or singing. I'll keep training but it's hurt me and everyone else and I'm sick of it.”
Garcia has a 25-1 record since turning pro in 2016.
His only loss came in April 2023 when he was defeated by Gervonta Davis by knockout.
