How much would you pay for a 3-pound advantage in a boxing match? For Ryan Garcia, the answer is $1.5 million. Ahead of his highly anticipated fight against Devin Haney, Garcia tipped the scales at 143.1 pounds, missing the super-lightweight limit by 3.2 pounds. During a pre-fight press conference, he made a bold wager with Haney—$500,000 for each pound he goes over.
Surprisingly, after weighing in overweight, Garcia promptly paid up. Haney confirmed on X that Garcia had indeed honored their hefty bet. With the financial penalty settled, Garcia’s tweets flaunted his readiness and strategic advantage, stirring the pot even further. Are the extra pounds worth it?
Laughing in the Face of Fines
After forking over a whopping $1.5 million for being overweight, Ryan Garcia wasn’t shy about his feelings on X. He kicked off with a tweet that was all swagger: “I feel great and I got a 3-pound advantage. Let’s gooo hahahahaa. Winners do what they have to do I’m still sharp.” It’s clear Ryan sees those extra pounds not as a mistake, but as a bonus, something he’s pretty stoked about leveraging in the ring.
And no belt, congrats dummy🏅 https://t.co/xvkZQzuFJJ
— Go Knight Knight 😴🏀🥊 (@DATKNIGHTLIFE) April 19, 2024
He didn’t stop there. Garcia then replied to a fan who criticized him for missing out on an opportunity to win the title: “Belts don’t feed your family.” That tweet cuts straight to the chase, highlighting his view that the fight’s paycheck and tactical edge outweigh the glory of title belts.
Belts dont feed your family https://t.co/JaOZZuqxpp
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) April 19, 2024
Moments later, he ramped up the intensity with, “F**K ALL THAT VIVA MEXICO. WE’RE LEAVING WITH HIS HEAD. BELTS WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.”
This tweet wasn’t just bold; it was a rallying cry, mixing ethnic pride with a fearless fight plan. But he didn’t stop there, well, he never does.
Why Did Ryan Garcia Weigh More?
Ryan Garcia certainly isn’t pulling any punches any time soon. He laid out his game plan with a rhetorical flair, tweeting, “Why would I force myself to make weight so I can be weak? Nah I’m here to win. That’s it.” He thinks the extra pounds could be a tactical advantage.
But he didn’t just leave it at that. Garcia added a cheeky twist with his next tweet: “My b**ls got too heavy and back gained too much muscle from carrying the promo and my fingers got stronger from all the tweets damn.” He mixed a serious take on his readiness with a humorous jab at himself, showing he can stay light-hearted about the buzz he’s creating.
Thoughts
So, what do you think? Can Ryan Garcia’s bold move and extra pounds translate into a victory, and will he regret not being able to win the title even if he wins the fight?
