SOME OF 15 RICHEST BOXERS OF ALL TIME

 

OSCAR DE LA HOYA DECLARES VERGIL ORTIZ JR. THE "GOLDEN TICKET" OF BOXING: SAYS ONLY ORTIZ CAN FILL COWBOYS STADIUM AND DELIVER NEXT MEGA-FIGHT

(Credit: Golden Boy Promotions / Cris Esqueda)

By Elliot Raines: Promoter Oscar De La Hoya says his fighter, Vergil Ortiz Jr., is the “golden ticket” for all other boxers from 147 to 154 to fight for them to be part of a “mega-fight” in front of a full Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs) is facing a major test against Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) this Saturday, November 8th, that will affect whether he becomes the star that De La Hoya predicts.

COWBOYS STADIUM DREAM

Vergil Jr. is still largely unproven at 27, and he’s not exactly looked like gold in his last two fights at 154 since being matched against the solid B-level fighters, Israil Madrimov and Serhii Bohachuk. Lubin, another B-level fighter, could prove to be too much for Ortiz Jr., which would foil Oscar’s vision.

If WBC interim junior middleweight champion Ortiz Jr. loses this fight, it would put De La Hoya in a tough spot of having to explain what happened and confront the truth about his fighter. He’s not as good as he thinks he is.

“Ennis is going to tell Eddie, ‘I don’t want Vergil next. Give me another tune-up fight.’ Vergil Ortiz right now is so hungry to win a world title,” said De La Hoya to the media on Thursday, talking about Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and his promoter, Eddie Hearn. They plan on being ringside for Ortiz Jr’s fight against Lubin.

The vision thing that De La Hoya dreamed up won’t materialize if he chooses not to match Ortiz Jr. against Ennis next. A fight against WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora won’t be big enough to fill the Cowboys Stadium or bring in a massive number of PPV buys on DAZN.

Vergil Jr. needs ‘Boots’ Ennis for that because he’s arguably the most popular fighter now that Terence Crawford has abandoned the 154-lb division, moving up to 168.

“Him winning on Saturday night and him fighting ‘Boots.’ He has another thing comin’ because Vergil is coming with everything,” said De La Hoya.

GOLDEN TICKET VISION

“Vergil Ortiz, whatever weight class he’s in, everyone follows because everyone knows that wherever he’s at, that he’s the golden ticket. He’s the only one who knows that he’s going to be able to fill up the Cowboys Stadium,” said De La Hoya.

Ortiz Jr. needs to look great against Erickson on Saturday and not struggle the way he did against Madrimov and Bohachuk. He didn’t look like anyone’s ‘golden ticket” in those fighters. But even if he’s outstanding, he’ll need one of these fighters to sell out Cowboys Stadium:

• Jaron Ennis

• Ryan Garcia

• Devin Haney

None of the other 154-lb fighters besides Ennis can bring in the numbers. The 160-lb division is devoid of names. Ortiz’s bet is Ennis, and the 147-pounders Ryan and Haney.

“Just like he told Jerry Jones when he was a kid coming up, ‘I’m going to fill that stadium for you,’ and I believe it now. But he’s the only one who can do it. Without Vergil Ortiz, no one can do it now. If we make Vergil against anyone in his next fight, it’s going to be a mega-event.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA AND BERNARD HOPKINS BOTH NAME THE SAME FIGHTER AS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins are two of the best fighters in recent memory, but both agree one man in the history books tops all others.

The legendary duo locked horns in a monumental showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas back in September of 2004, a fight that saw Hopkins become the first undisputed middleweight champion of the ‘four belt era’ when he stopped De La Hoya in the ninth round to add the WBO title to his unified WBC, WBA and IBF belts.

They have since partnered up for Golden Boy Promotions and continue to develop today’s talent with a view to creating the next big star – but who do they feel is the best of all time?

Speaking to ESNEWS, De La Hoya didn’t hesitate to name the late great Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest fighter in history.

“Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest of all time! That’s basically it, look at this here [his shirt] all the weight divisions, hardest puncher, best footwork, he would fight multiple times a month, took on the very best, took on the toughest challenges. Sugar Ray Robinson, he’s literally the GOAT.”

Hopkins shares the same views of his former rival turned business partner, once telling the media that he also believes Robinson is the very best fighter to have ever graced the sport.

“The best fighter ever is Sugar Ray Robinson. To me the best fighter after that is Muhammad Ali, and then the debate starts from on and on from there.”

Robinson fought on just over 200 occasions as a professional throughout the course of his storied 25-year tenure, which spanned between 1940 and 1965.

He became six-time world champion along the way, reigning as the world welterweight champion between 1946 and 1951 before he eventually made the move up to middleweight, capturing the world title five times within a 9-year period before his retirement.

- Kailem Lowe

MANNY PACQUIAO ENDS RETIREMENT TO FIGHT MARIO BARRIOS FOR WBC WELTERWEIGHT BELT ON JULY 19

Boxing legend aims to reclaim glory against younger champion.

Manny Pacquiao - Image via @mannypacquiao Instagram

Manny Pacquiao shocked the boxing world by announcing his comeback from a four-year retirement to battle Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship. The clash, scheduled for July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas, marks a daring move for the 46-year-old icon

Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in boxing history, holds a 62-8-2 record with 39 knockouts. His last professional bout, a unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021, prompted his retirement a month later.

Barrios, the reigning WBC welterweight king, boasts a 29-2-1 record with 18 knockouts. At 29, he claimed the full belt in May 2024 after Terence Crawford vacated it, following a draw against Abel Ramos in November 2024

ESPN and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the fight, which will stream on PBC’s Prime Video pay-per-view. Sulaiman praised the matchup, noting Pacquiao’s approval by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Pacquiao’s career includes victories over Keith Thurman, Oscar De La Hoya, and Miguel Cotto. His 2015 defeat to Floyd Mayweather remains the highest-grossing boxing event, generating over $600 million

Barrios, from San Antonio, recovered from losses to Gervonta Davis and Thurman with three wins and a draw. His unanimous decision over Ugas in 2023 earned him the interim WBC belt.

The bout will likely occur at MGM Grand Garden Arena, as T-Mobile Arena faces scheduling conflicts with Lady Gaga’s tour. Pacquiao won his first major belt at MGM Grand in 2001 against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba.

Pacquiao’s revival aligns with his Senate campaign in the Philippines, with elections set for May 12, 2025. He served as a senator from 2016 to 2022 and seeks to reclaim a seat.

Pacquiao’s Comeback Faces High Stakes

At 46, Pacquiao faces a 17-year age gap with Barrios, raising questions about his ability to compete. Older boxers often struggle with speed and endurance, yet Pacquiao remains confident in his skills.

In July 2024, Pacquiao faced kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in a three-round exhibition, ending in a draw. The taller, younger Anpo tested his reflexes, preparing him for Barrios’ aggressive style.

Pacquiao told ESPN in 2024, “I made history at 40 beating Keith Thurman and I feel at 45, I have a lot left in the game.” His belief fuels his chase for a ninth division belt.

The WBC permits former champions like Pacquiao to request belt shots upon returning. Some criticize this, arguing he’s bypassing contenders like Devin Haney, which frustrates rising boxers.

X posts reflect excitement for Pacquiao’s return, with one user hailing him as a “top 10 boxer” of recent decades. Others express concern that Barrios’ power could overwhelm the aging star.

Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame induction on June 8, 2025, adds weight to his comeback. A victory would make him the oldest welterweight champion, breaking his own record set at 40

Critics, including DAZN, warn Pacquiao risks his legacy and health against a prime Barrios. They highlight his last knockout win in 2018, suggesting a decline in finishing power.

The boxing community eagerly awaits Pacquiao’s next chapter, as he juggles politics and a historic belt pursuit. His showdown with Barrios will test if his talent can outshine time.

- Jake Blend

FERNANDO VARGAS HITS BACK AT SONS' BOXING CRITICS Won't Say It To Our Faces!

Former boxing champion Fernando Vargas is calling out anyone criticizing his sons' boxing careers ... telling TMZ Sports they're bold behind a keyboard, but don't have the guts to say any of it to their faces!!

Vargas' three sons are all boxers ... including Amado, who has a fight on Saturday against Angel Luna at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta.

Vargas is confident his son will secure his 13th straight win by knockout in "four, five rounds" and maintain his perfect record.

Even with that said, some remain unimpressed with the 24-year-old fighter. Pops -- a former middleweight with a 26-5 record -- chalks it all up to how negativity is part of the boxing game.

He also knows that none of the doubters would dare back up their words in person.

"Be mad! Be mad!" Vargas said. "It doesn't matter to me! You not gonna say nothing crazy to me or come up and say anything crazy to me. It's never been done!"

"You can run your mouth and say whatever you want, but you will never say it to my face or you will never say it to my boys' faces."

Vargas -- who shared the ring with legends like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, and Shane Mosley -- believes his sons will silence the haters, backed by his full support and their boxing DNA.

"My boys got what it takes to become champions."

- TMZ Sports 

OSCAR DE LA HOYA WILD BANANA HAMMOCK DANCE ... With Holly Sonders

Oscar De La Hoya just gave his fans a lot more than they bargained for ... throwing on a skimpy thong and doing a freaky dance with his partner, Holly Sonders -- and sharing the footage for all to see.

The wild clip was posted to the pair's Instagrams late Sunday night ... showing them barely covered as they grooved to Sak Noel's "Loca People."

It kicked off with Holly -- donning a tiny, pink thong bikini -- dancing solo ... before ODLH quickly hopped into frame and started shaking his junk.

As the sexual boogie continued, the Golden Boy turned his back to the camera ... revealing his trunks were even more revealing than Sonders' 'fit -- as his cheeks were on full display.

The two appeared to be really enjoying themselves ... but it apparently set a bunch of people off, 'cause Sonders now claims the video was removed after it was reported to the platform's whistleblowers.

"We both posted a funny video an hour ago," Sonders said on IG. "It got taken down on both our accounts due to lames reporting it."

"I guess some ppl really hate to see us having fun," she added.

But the couple won't let the haters win ... as Sonders said there will be even more content of the same nature in the future.

- TMZ Sports 

'A DIFFERENT ERA FOR ME': CANELO'S NEW APPROACH ISN'T TO SATISFY HIS CRITICS

Canelo Alvarez, above, is facing Jaime Munguia on Saturday, the first time two fighters from Mexico will compete for an undisputed championship in the four-belt era. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS -- Canelo Alvarez removed his designer sunglasses to reveal the sort of deadly serious expression that's all too familiar to his 39 knockout opponents.

Only this time, the target of his white-hot rage wasn't another fighter -- at least not an active one -- but Oscar De La Hoya, the Hall of Fame boxer who promoted Alvarez from 2010 until their ugly breakup in 2020.

For the first time since November 2019, Alvarez and De La Hoya shared a stage during fight week as Alvarez prepares to defend his undisputed super middleweight championship against fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video PPV).

Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) is co-promoted by De La Hoya, who once occupied Canelo's position as the face of boxing for much of the 1990s and 2000s. And while "The Golden Boy" taunted Alvarez with digging remarks about the star fighter's character, taking aim at Alvarez's failed drug test ahead of his 2018 rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin, Munguia could only laugh.

"Yes, there were times that work was not my priority based on my mental health, which I had neglected for so long," De La Hoya told Alvarez. "But that doesn't change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo over this period."

Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) responded with an expletive-laced tirade on the "idiot" he despises, saying, "try not to forget that I was already Canelo when I came to the United States and that he only profited from my name. He never lost a single cent, but instead made money. Have you already paid Golovkin what you wanted to steal from him?"

De La Hoya told ESPN on Wednesday that GGG was paid "everything he's owed" following Golovkin's 2022 lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, which sought upward of $3 million. On Thursday, De La Hoya sent Alvarez a legal letter demanding that Canelo cease and desist from further "defamatory allegations" and retract his comments.

Alvarez showed Wednesday he still has plenty of fight left in him -- a burning desire after all these years to hit back at foes inside and outside the ring. In an era where boxers usually train near the comforts of home, Alvarez once again went away for training camp to his cabin in the mountains of California near Lake Tahoe in Truckee.

Alvarez now appears to be entering a different stage of his career, where he flexes his muscle as the sole face of boxing. During his storied career, he often sought out the sport's most-avoided fighters -- Dmitry Bivol, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara among them -- in search of legacy.

Days ahead of his 65th pro fight and two months shy of his 34th birthday, Alvarez's place in boxing history is undoubtedly secured. He'll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer whenever he retires, with a chance to surpass Julio Cesar Chavez as Mexico's all-time greatest boxer.

Canelo has been a staple of boxing's pound-for-pound list (currently ESPN's No. 4) for two decades, delivering matchups fans clamored for, most notably a classic trilogy with GGG. Lately, he's resisted increasing public demand for a clash with rising star David Benavidez, who occupies the No. 2 position in ESPN's super middleweight rankings.

But rather than Benavidez, Alvarez will defend his 168-pound crown vs. Munguia on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The champion is a -550 favorite, per ESPN BET, to turn back ESPN's No. 4 168-pounder.

"[Benavidez] brings nothing to the table for me," Alvarez said in March at a news conference in Beverly Hills, California. "He just brings 25 extra pounds on the night of the fight. That's it. ... If a promoter who I work with offers $150 to $200 million, then I'll fight tomorrow. That's the only reason I'll fight with him."

De La Hoya earned hundreds of millions during his run, just like Alvarez after him, and faced the same pressure to continue taking on the toughest challenges.

"When a fighter mentions a number that high, $150, $200 million, in other words, I don't want to fight him," De La Hoya told ESPN last month. " ... Canelo comes in after [Floyd] Mayweather [as boxing's top star] and he's setting the example that it's about the payday. ... The whole world wishes that he would fight Benavidez and lead by example.

"That fight must happen. We're on a good roll right now with having good fights, and we must continue to make those big fights happen. And for the first time in a long time, the casual fan is asking for this fight. It's kind of like Mayweather-[Manny] Pacquiao. It's that type of situation. So it'll be a shame if Canelo doesn't [fight Benavidez]."

EARLY IN HIS career, Alvarez built a reputation for chasing risky fights. At age 20, he squeezed past Trout, a tricky southpaw who was virtually unknown. Months later, in September 2013, Alvarez challenged his predecessor as boxing's top star, "Money" Mayweather.

Alvarez was still developing and not in his prime yet, but he was already a star. Still, he made weight concessions (a catchweight of 152 pounds) to land the career-best opportunity with Mayweather and was soundly dominated. Alvarez later credited that junior middleweight title fight defeat as a learning experience that would carry him to the top of the sport, and keep him there.

It was another nine years until Alvarez would lose again. He found himself in a much different position but nonetheless pursued the more challenging matchups. Rather than defend his four 168-pound titles vs. Jermall Charlo, a middleweight, Alvarez elected to challenge Bivol for his 175-pound championship in May 2022.

Like Trout, the Russian boxer possessed talent that far exceeded his profile. Bivol went on to rout Alvarez in a fight that knocked Alvarez from his pound-for-pound perch. That's why, it appears, Alvarez has no problem saying no this time around to Benavidez.

He absorbed criticism for the setback despite it being just his second fight at 175 pounds. The loss still eats at Alvarez; Canelo told ESPN he remains interested in a Bivol rematch at light heavyweight.

"Everybody say 'no, it's an easy fight,' but I knew [Bivol] was a really good fighter and another weight class," Alvarez said. "So I take my risk. And I always fight with every single fighter ... and I always prove myself there and I always prove [to] everybody. But not anymore. I'm tired of that because it's never is going to be enough for them. I'm going to do this for me, for my people and that's it."

Indeed, fans will always lobby to see another new fighter land the Alvarez matchup. That's the nature of boxing when you're the top star. It's with good reason that an Alvarez-Benavidez fight is so highly anticipated.

"I think it is a different era for me," Alvarez told ESPN last month. " ... If you see my history, it's always somebody else [fans want me to face] when I have a fight. ... Right now with Benavidez. It's always there. So I don't really focus on that anymore because it's never going to be enough for some people."

"I always fight the best out there and I'm happy with my career and I'm in a position [where] I can do whatever I want because I fight for it," he added. " ... I sacrifice myself and ... I deserve this position because of everything I did before."

Alvarez still appears near the peak of his powers following a pair of dominant victories last year over John Ryder and Jermell Charlo. Alvarez broke Ryder's nose in a Mexico homecoming last May, and four months later outboxed Charlo, who refused to engage. Canelo floored both opponents.

David Benavidez, left, ESPN's No. 2-ranked super middleweight, has been clamoring for a fight against Canelo Alvarez. David Becker/Getty Images

Benavidez, too, enjoyed a banner 2023 in what amounted to a breakout campaign. In March, he outpointed Caleb Plant, whom Alvarez stopped in November 2021, and TKO'd Demetrius Andrade in November. Benavidez doled out brutal beatings in both bouts, raising the volume on the calls for a summit meeting with Alvarez.

"I'm not going to be waiting on Canelo," Benavidez told ESPN in March. "After I fight Canelo, my career doesn't end. It's frustrating, but it gives me a bad name at the end of the day, too. ... The reason why this fight is not happening is because Canelo doesn't want it to happen, plain and simple."

There's little doubt Benavidez -- a volume-punching machine with power in both hands -- would present a dangerous challenge. He's much bigger than Canelo, for one. Alvarez won his first title at 154 pounds and is 5-foot-8. Benavidez is 10 years younger, 36 fights fresher and is a career 168-pounder at 6-foot-2 with a 4-inch reach advantage over Alvarez.

When he couldn't entice Canelo into the ring, Benavidez moved up to 175 pounds for a June 15 bout with former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Canelo Alvarez, right, defeated Jermell Charlo, who moved up two divisions for the fight, by unanimous decision in late September. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT

WHEN ALVAREZ SIGNED a three-fight deal with PBC last June, hope grew that the move would lead to an eventual clash with Benavidez, a longtime PBC boxer. Alvarez went on to face Jermell Charlo in the first fight of the deal, with plans to meet his twin brother in the second bout of the agreement on Saturday. But after Jermell's listless performance, the fight against Jermall became a hard sell.

"What Jermell did in the last fight is not going to be good for the eyes on the people," Alvarez said. "It's going to be the same guy. Oh, his brother did a really bad fight. And I think this fight with Munguia is better than the Charlo fight. I think he deserved the fight. He win good fights, he improve a lot and he's very respectful to me. So I think he deserve it more."

As Canelo advances to the latter part of his career, respect appears more important to him than ever before. He's always shown respect to his opponents, and isn't looking to reward fighters, he said, who don't reciprocate. He laughs at the thought he should punish disrespectful fighters by gifting them the career-high payday that accompanies a shot at the sport's top star.

"Let me beat you, give you big-money payday," Alvarez said mockingly. "No, not anymore. ... Respect is important. And I know it's a fight, but when I fight, I fight with a lot of fighters who talk a lot of s---, talk a lot of things, and they don't do s--- in the ring."

Plant earned a career-high $10 million, and Munguia will exceed that amount. Benavidez has never earned more than around $3 million. Alvarez isn't concerned with critics at this stage, especially his former promoter-turned-rival. De La Hoya offers a unique perspective as a fighter who starred atop the sport -- from his 1992 Olympic gold medal win to his final fight against Pacquiao in December 2008.

"The way I saw it was whoever I have to fight, and he's the best, I fight," De La Hoya said. "I didn't worry about no payday [for the opponent]. I always put my legacy first. What is it going to take for me to get to the top? What is it going to take for me to be considered the best? Well, I have to fight the best."

Jaime Munguia, left, and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya are very confident they can beat Canelo Alvarez. Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images

MUNGUIA MIGHT BE a consolation prize in Benavidez's absence on the right side of the marquee, yet it's still an anticipated matchup, especially for Mexican fans. Munguia represents Alvarez's first countryman foe since Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in May 2017.

Canelo has long said he doesn't wish to fight fellow Mexicans but made an exception for Munguia. "This is history for Mexico because it's the first time two Mexicans, they going to fight for four belts."

"Munguia is a really good fighter," Alvarez added. "It's a young fighter who throws a lot of punches, who is strong, who is hungry. So it's a risk for me."

A risk, perhaps, but a small one compared to the perils of fighting Benavidez.

"Fighters usually know, absolutely," De La Hoya said. "... There's a tiny fear in every fighter. There has to be. Even Mike Tyson will say there's a tiny fear, and that fear is always losing. [Benavidez is] a younger guy, he's the bigger guy, he's fast, he's strong, he throws a lot of punches. See anybody throwing punches and punches will be a problem for Canelo at this point of his career. ... He'll get knocked out. He will get beat.

"Obviously he's a businessman," he added. "That's exactly what he is at the fourth quarter of his career ... and there's nothing wrong with that, but at least have some balls to fight the best guy in front of you."

Alvarez will head into Saturday's fight looking to maintain his undisputed super middleweight championship, his No. 4 spot on ESPN's pound-for-pound list and, most of all, his ironclad claim as the face of boxing.

A win over Munguia likely won't come as easily as his two previous victories. After all, Munguia is fresh, strong, unbeaten and determined to dethrone a man he's long dreamed of fighting.

The former junior middleweight titleholder is coming off a career-best victory, a ninth-round TKO of Ryder in January. Munguia's previous outing was named ESPN's 2023 Fight of the Year, a bout against Sergiy Derevyanchenko where a final-round knockdown earned Munguia the decision.

It's also a full-circle moment for Munguia. As a 21-year-old, he agreed to replace Alvarez following his PED suspension and fight GGG, only for the Nevada commission to decline approval, citing Munguia's inexperience. Six years to the day later, Munguia has his life-altering opportunity, and he's much more prepared for the shot.

"Working with the legend Freddie Roach has really motivated me," Munguia said last month following a workout at Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. "He has my confidence very high and ... he's brought a lot of peace and tranquility to my corner."

Canelo is at peace, too. At peace with his legacy, his standing in the sport and, most of all, his freedom to fight whomever he pleases.

"I just want to do whatever I want and put obviously really good fights out there," Alvarez said. " ... I think when you deserve it, when you did everything, when you fight with everybody, when you do the correct things, I think you can do whatever you want."

- Mike Coppinger, ESPN

BOXER RYAN GARCIA TESTED POSITIVE FOR BANNED SUBSTANCE OSTARINE

 Star boxer Ryan Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine the day before and the day of his upset win over Devin Haney last month, per a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association letter sent to all parties Wednesday and obtained by ESPN.

The urine samples were collected prior to the fight, but the results weren't known until later.

Garcia has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested. Garcia's A-sample also screened positive for 19-norandrosterone, but its presence is unconfirmed until further lab analysis.

"Everybody knows that I don't cheat," Garcia said in a video posted on X. "Never taken a steroid. ... I don't even know where to get steroids. ... I barely take supplements. Big lies, I beat his ass."

Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement that it is working with Garcia's team to "determine how this finding came to be."

"Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances -- and we believe him," Golden Boy said in its statement.

Garcia, 25, floored Haney three times and won by majority decision, but that result now stands to be overturned unless the B-sample returns negative, which is rare.

"We learned about this situation not too long ago and it's unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice," Haney said in a statement to ESPN.

"... Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don't play boxing. This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn't a joking matter."

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) also missed weight ahead of the fight, registering 143.2 pounds for the WBC 140-pound title fight. Garcia paid Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) upward of $600,000 for his failure to make weight. It also meant Garcia was ineligible to win the title, though he rose to No. 2 in ESPN's junior welterweight rankings following the major upset.

Haney, who fights out of Las Vegas, remained the junior welterweight champion even in defeat. He fell to No. 4 in ESPN's 140-pound rankings and lost his pound-for-pound recognition after being ranked No. 6 by ESPN going into the fight.

"Safety, fairness, and integrity in professional athletic competition are essential," the New York State Athletic Commission said in a statement to ESPN. "The Commission is in communication with VADA and is reviewing the matter."

Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that attaches to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow. It is used to aid performance by helping athletes build muscle mass and enhance their rate of fat loss and also to increase stamina and recovery ability.

It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2008 and in 2022 was listed as an anabolic agent by WADA.

Ostarine has been used in boxing before. Lucian Bute tested positive for it in 2016 following a draw with Badou Jack in their WBC super middleweight title fight. The result was changed to a DQ win for Jack.

Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after he tested positive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.

Haney was a -900 favorite, according to ESPN BET, but he closed at -575 after Garcia missed weight. The slick-boxing Haney, the former undisputed lightweight champion, had never been knocked down entering the fight, but Garcia deposited him on the canvas in Rounds 7, 10 and 11 with his lightning-quick left hook to pull out the victory.

The win was a career-altering performance for Garcia, who has never won a world title but boasts a massive social media presence with more than 12 million followers on Instagram. His lone career defeat came via seventh-round TKO vs. Gervonta Davis last April.

Haney defeated future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko last May to retain his four 135-pound titles. He made his 140-pound debut in December with a shutout decision victory over Regis Prograis to win the WBC junior welterweight title.

- Mike Coppinger, ESPN

GERVONTA DAVIS SENDS A SERIOUS MESSAGE TO RYAN GARCIA & RESPONDS TO OSCAR DELA HOYA

OSCAR DE LA HOYA VIA K.O. ARTIST SPORTS

 

OSCAR DE LA HOYA | BOXING LEGENG & FIGHTING PROMOTER | HOTBOXIN' WITH MIKE TYSON

BOXING: SAUL 'CANELO'' ALVAREZ RATES GOLOVKIN WIN OVER JACOBS