That was a costly weigh-in for Ryan Garcia.
The NY Post reports the controversial boxer came in at 143.2 pounds for this weekend’s bout with WBC junior welterweight titleholder Devin Haney — making Garcia ineligible to come away with the belt.
While the fight will go on, according to promoter DAZN, Garcia will enter the ring lighter in at least one way.
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He must make good on a bet he made on Thursday, telling Haney he’d pay $500,000 for every pound he came in over the 140-pound limit — making for a hefty $1.5 million ($2.34m AUD) check.
According to Haney, Garcia made good on the wager.
Garcia, 25, seemed unconcerned as he took to X.
“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,” he wrote,
“My balls got to heavy and back gained to much muscle from carrying the promo. And my fingers got stronger from all the tweets damn.”
Garcia will reportedly also forfeit an undisclosed portion of his purse for the fight to Haney as part of the last minute talks to rescue the fight.
Watch Ryan Garcia appear to chug a beer while missing weight in the video above
Garcia added separately: “Why would I force my self to make weight so I can be weak. Nah I’m here to win That’s it.”
Garcia appeared to down a bottle of beer as he flexed on stage after his missed weight debacle.
He later tweeted: “Apple Juice and sparkling water HEHE.”
The controversial boxer has sparked mental concerns with erratic behaviour in public and online. Earlier this week he proposed to Australian adult film star Savannah Bond.
Collingwood great and Brownlow medallist Dane Swan wrote on X: “Ryan Garcia is either the greatest fight promoter since Ali or is proper not well and absolutely shouldn’t be fighting.
“Not making weight suggests the latter. We shall see tomorrow.’
Respected boxing reporter Dan Rafael wrote on X: “You still think Ryan is trolling? Please. Kid shouldn’t be fighting. He’s not mentally or physically ready obviously.
“He has problems & I feel bad for him. He has a good heart but is messed up & has nobody around him who gives a damn. Haney going to hurt him.”
It’s the latest wild turn for the bout, with the combatants getting into a scuffle atop the Empire State Building earlier this week.
That pre-fight kerfuffle reportedly led the New York Mets to cancel the duo throwing out the first pitch ahead of a MLB game at Citi Field.
“The Mets just wasted three hours of our lives to say at the end we can’t throw the pitch for whatever reason … there was no reason, they kicked us out for no reason,” Garcia said in a video as walked out of the Queens stadium.
“I’m personally gonna say f*** the Mets. Don’t ever go to a f***ing Mets game again. F*** the Mets!”
Garcia (24-1, 20 KO) and Haney (31-0, 15 KO) will take their festering feud into the ring on Sunday (AEST) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
This article originally appeared in the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.