Ryan Garcia has filed a $7.5 million counterclaim against Devin Haney and his father, Bill. This is in reaction to Haney’s lawsuit against Ryan for battery, fraud, and breach of contract.
$7.5M Counterclaim Filed
According to @pugboxing, Ryan’s lawsuit contends that Haney’s complaint is intended to force a rematch with Kingry and hurt him economically. If Ryan wins his lawsuit, that could be a devastating blow to Haney, who has been reeling since his loss.
The former WBC light welterweight champion Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is suing Garcia due to him testing positive for the PED Ostarine from their fight on April 20th, which Ryan won by a 12-round majority decision.
If Haney’s lawsuit is successful and receives monetary damages, it could change the sport for future fighters who test positive.
Rematch In Jeopardy?
On the downside, Haney’s lawsuit could prevent him from getting a rematch with Garcia, which could bring in more money than his damages. Moreover, the negative backlash from fans over Haney’s decision to sue Ryan is not a positive one for his career. It makes Devin appear litigious.
The lawsuit could work against Haney because his popularity has taken a hit with fans, and he’s been inactive for the last eight months. In the past, the former two-division world champion would have already fought by now. You have to wonder whether the lawsuit has distracted Devin, making him not want to get back in the ring.
Garcia has already been suspended until April by the New York Commission, so he has no choice but to stay inactive. That’s not the situation with Haney. His dad, Bill Haney, states that they plan on staying out of the ring for a year, which is a strange decision.
If Haney doesn’t get the rematch with Garcia in 2025, he’s going to have to choose a big-name fighter like Teofimo Lopez in a risky fight to make the kind of money that he got against Ryan.
