Ryan Garcia’s “B” Samples Return Positive For Ostarine; Matter Now In Hands OF NY Commission

Ryan Garcia has work to do in order to clear his name.

The Ring has confirmed that the “B” sample test results have confirmed the original findings of Ostarine [Enobosarm]. Garcia tested positive for the banned substance in samples collected via testing contracted through Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) surrounding his April 20 win over Devin Haney.

Results were reported on Thursday early morning by the Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory, according to paperwork obtained by The Ring. They were returned less than 24 hours after a Garcia-appointed representative witnessed the unsealing of his “B” sample for analysis.

The findings were reported to Garcia, Golden Boy Promotions (Garcia’s promoter), Haney, the World Boxing Council, NYSAC officials and the boxers’ respective legal teams.

The outcome now casts doubt over the current standing result of his win over Devin Haney.

Fight Freaks Unite’s Dan Rafael was the first to report the development.

Garcia outpointed Haney via majority decision on April 20 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The bout was fought under the supervision of the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), who is currently investigating the matter. They are now required to rule on the matter, given the testing outcome.

Garcia had until May 11 to file a request for “B” sample unsealing and analysis, a motion which was executed by his legal team. The 25-year-old California native openly expected the same result, but has also claimed contamination on his rational days. Other extreme measures have suggested a set-up.

“I don’t care I’ll never make money again with boxing,” Garcia posted on X once the test results were learned. “Your loss not mine [f]or setting me up lol joke on [y’all].”

https://x.com/RyanGarcia/status/1793670552252760541

A more formal response was offered by Garcia’s legal team, in line with the suggestion of contamination.

“Ryan Garcia is committed to clean and fair competition and has never intentionally used any banned substance,” Garcia’s team said in a statement provided to the media. “Soon after being notified of his positive test, Ryan voluntarily had his hair collected and shipped to Dr. Pascal Kintz, the foremost expert in toxicology and hair-sample analysis. The results of Ryan’s hair sample came back negative. This is consistent with contamination and demonstrably proves that Ryan had not ingested Ostarine over a period of time — the only way he would have had any advantage whatsoever in the ring.

“Ryan has voluntarily submitted to tests throughout his career, which have always shown negative results. He also tested negative multiple times leading up to the fight against Haney. All of these factors, combined with his ultra-low levels from samples taken on April 19th and 20th (in the billionth of a gram range), point to Ryan being a victim of supplement contamination and never receiving any performance enhancing benefit from the microscopic amounts in his system. We are certain that one of the natural supplements Ryan was using in the lead up to the fight will prove to be contaminated and are in the process of testing the supplements to determine the exact source.”

The length of suspension Garcia faces will be left to the NYSAC. Expectations are for the April 20 fight outcome to be changed to a No-Contest. As previously reported by The Ring, Haney’s team has taken the extreme—though not unprecedent—measure for Garcia to be issued a loss via disqualification. Such a ruling would restore Haney’s previously unblemished record, though it would be a first under NYSAC rules given the test results external to its own protocols.

Garcia (25-1, 20 knockouts) floored Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) three times en route to a majority decision victory. Haney was permitted to retain his WBC 140-pound title, despite the defeat. Garcia was not eligible to win the belt after he miserably missed weight. The outspoken boxer checked in at a career-heaviest 143.2 pounds during the April 19 official weigh-in.

Because he was so far over the divisional limit, there was not even an option to lose the extra weight within a prescribed time. Garcia was required to pay a fine and rework the fight contract to move forward with the main event.

He will now have to prove contamination to avoid further discipline from the drug test results.

Enobosarm is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). Its primary purpose among men is to prevent muscle loss. The substance was banned by World Anti-Doping Agency in 2008. It is not approved for any medical use—prescribed or otherwise.

It continues to show up in boxing circles, however.

The most recent instance was in Amir Khan’s test results surrounding his February 2022 knockout defeat to Kell Brook. The former 140-pound titlist was subsequently dealt a two-year ban, although he announced his retirement by that point.

Former WBC super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute also tested positive for Enobosarm in his April 2016 draw with Badou Jack. The substance was discovered from a post-fight sample whose results were returned on May 27, four weeks after their title fight. Bute insisted ingestion through a contaminated supplement. His B-sample also came back positive, its results not learned until August 12, nearly four months after the fight. The Washington D.C. commission accepted Bute’s contamination alibi but still issued a six-month suspension and $50,000 fine.

Lucas Browne was popped for the substance during a November 2016 test conducted through the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program. It was his second positive test on the year. Browne previously tested positive for Clenbuterol, which cost him the WBA ‘Regular’ heavyweight title he won from Ruslan Chagaev.

Alexander Povetkin also produced two positive drug tests that year, including Ostarine from a December 2016 sample. He was permitted to fight that evening, though no longer for an interim WBC heavyweight title.

Povetkin previously tested positive for meldonium which cost him a May 2016 title fight versus then-unbeaten champ Deontay Wilder.

The test results for this fight mark Garcia’s first offense through eight years as a pro. His initial reaction was to dismiss the findings and allege a frame job.

“I’ve never taken a steroid in my life,” Garcia insisted via video posted on his social media channels. “I don’t even know where to get steroids. I barely take supplements. They’re saying it’s coming from the ashwagandha, that’s fucking retarded.

“Big lies, I beat his ass. Fuck outta here.”

What took place in the ring will remain documented forever. What the record books show as the outcome is now in the hands of the presiding commission.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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