LAS VEGAS — Dana White has leaped to the protection of Ryan Garcia, who the New York State Athletic Fee not too long ago banned for one 12 months after he examined constructive for a banned substance.
“From what my crew tells me, and these guys are the f****** greatest, [it was a] tainted complement,” the UFC boss mentioned.
Garcia produced the efficiency of a lifetime when he dropped Devin Haney thrice en path to a call win on April 20 at Barclays Middle in New York. This, although, was later dominated a no-contest after drug testers detected Ostarine within the 25-year-old boxer’s urine.
His authorized crew issued a assertion to WBN on Could 31, through which they mentioned: “The check outcomes from samples of two dietary supplements declared by Ryan Garcia on VADA Doping Management Varieties, signed on April nineteenth and twentieth, have returned constructive for Ostarine contamination.”
They added that “confidential check stories” indicated this banned substance got here from two NutraBIO-branded dietary supplements.
NutraBIO vehemently denied this, issuing an announcement indicating “no Ostarine” was discovered of their merchandise after their very own testing.
CEO and Founder Mark Glazier even known as Garcia’s claims “reckless,” including: “Any specific or implied statements suggesting that our product contained Ostarine when it was bought are utterly unfounded.”
In recent times, quite a few UFC fighters have examined constructive for Ostarine, together with UFC bantamweight champion and No.6-ranked pound-for-pound star Sean O’Malley, who has a web based rivalry with Garcia.
After UFC 303 on Saturday at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas, White talked to World Boxing Information and different reporters about Ostarine, Garcia, and his ban from boxing.
“None of that’s any of my enterprise — it’s not my card,” he started. “I hate speaking about drug testing, however with all my data … within the years [UFC has] been drug testing, we imagine the individuals who deal with the drug testing that he took a tainted complement and didn’t cheat.”
White mentioned that if Garcia “had the suitable individuals round him,” none of this is able to have occurred.
He reiterated that, as he’s the president of the market-leading MMA promotion, he has “no pores and skin” within the boxing enterprise. “I don’t give a s***; it’s not my combat and none of my enterprise.”
Nonetheless, he additionally mentioned UFC is “fairly assured it was a tainted complement.”
Although Garcia’s ban expires in April 2025, it hardly dents his standing as one among boxing’s largest stars.
As we reported final month, Garcia might be thrust into one among at the very least two potential world title alternatives as soon as he has served his suspension.
Premier Boxing Champions marketing consultant Stephen Espinoza welcomed a combat between PBC characteristic attraction Gervonta Davis and Golden Boy Promotions boxer Garcia, calling it a “huge, huge rematch” when talking completely to World Boxing Information.
And boxing coach Bob Santos appeared eager to see his fighter Mario Barrios tackle Garcia subsequent 12 months throughout an interview with us discussing a Manny Pacquiao vs Barrios mega match later in 2024.
Alan Dawson is World Boxing Information Lead Author, a 2 x Sports activities Journalist of the Yr finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Comply with Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
