Boxing

Devin Haney's Father Gets Into Heated Exchange With Ryan Garcia's Team In Times Square Open Workout

Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia's camps are still going back and forth over one year after their fight.

Nathaniel Marrero

WBC Super Lightweight Champion Devin Haney and his father trainer Bill Haney, stand on stage on February 29, 2024.
WBC Super Lightweight Champion Devin Haney and his father trainer Bill Haney, stand on stage on February 29, 2024. / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

There's no love lost between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, and the disdain goes beyond the two boxers.

During Garcia's open workout for the Times Square card in New York, Haney's father and trainer, Bill Haney, got into a verbal exchange with Garcia's father and brother, Henry Garcia, and Sean Garcia, respectively.

Ryan, Sean and Henry are the only ones to voice their displeasure toward Haney. The former undisputed lightweight and WBC junior welterweight champion was booed during his open workout.

The genesis of the rivalry between Garcia and Haney came when they fought six times in the amateurs, winning three bouts apiece. Then, they were finally scheduled to meet as pros on April 20, 2024, for Haney's WBC junior welterweight title.

After a chaotic build-up that saw Garcia miss weight by over three pounds, making him ineligible for Haney's title, and appearing to be on the verge of losing his mind, he somehow found a way to right the ship, dropping Haney three times en route to a split decision victory. The glory of being the first man to defeat Haney was short-lived, though, as the result was overturned to a no-contest after it was revealed that Garcia failed multiple drug tests for ostarine.

Garcia served a one-year suspension for his numerous failed drug tests.

Now, in their first fights since facing each other, Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) and Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) are on the same card at Times Square in New York on Friday. Garcia will face Rolando "Rolly" Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) for the WBA welterweight title, while Haney will square off against former unified junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) at a catchweight of 144 pounds.

Should Haney and Garcia win on Friday, it's expected they'll face off later in 2025. And if their war of words in the build-up to a card when they aren't even facing each other is any indication, the second bout will likely be much bigger than the first fight if the rematch comes to fruition.

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero