WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney 31-1 (15) is at a loss to explain why he couldn’t avoid the lethal left hook of Ryan Garcia 25-1 (20) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday night.
The 25-year-old Garcia of Los Angeles make great use of his most effective weapon, stunning Haney with the left hook in the opening round and deploying the same punch to drop him three times in the fight.
San Francisco’s Haney, 25, beat the count each time but he could secure enough rounds to sway the judges, who ruled the bout a majority draw by scores of 112-112, 114-110 and 115-109.
“I fell asleep on the left hook. We trained for it but I got in there and fell asleep,” the former undisputed lightweight champion said in the ring after his first professional loss.
“I gave him a shot; it’s only right he gives me a shot back. He didn’t make weight, so I’m still the champion. We can run it back.”
Haney added on social media: “Fought like a true champion. Got up off the canvas and kept fighting. I am 100% OK and would love to do it again while we both make weight.
“I have no broken anything… Same way you dish, [you have to] be able to take it. I will be back.”
Garcia missed weight by a whopping 3.2-pounds, making him ineligible to win Haney’s WBC junior welterweight championship.
The bout was the seventh time the pair had met in the ring after a long amateur rivalry that saw them claim three wins apiece.
After Garcia’s victory over Haney both boxers voiced their interest in a rematch, but with the winner seemingly unwilling or unable to come down to 140-pounds, it would need to take place at the welterweight limit of 147-pounds.
“We turn losses into lessons and then turn them into blessings,” said Bill Haney, the trainer, manager and father of Devin. “I did always say that I believed Ryan Garcia was a good fighter.
“We were 3-3 with him. I think he’s an even better influencer because he fooled you guys into thinking he was crazy [with his behaviour pre-fight]. I knew that he wasn’t crazy. It was a good fight. But you know, we have to take it in stride. We definitely want a rematch.
“We’re going to hold our head up high, chests out, chin up. That’s what it means to be a Haney.
“We don’t carry any excuses. We were able to accomplish some amazing things in the sport and we are still going to continue to accomplish more amazing things. We’re going to keep on pushing. Ain’t nothing wrong with having a bruised ego if it’s going to push you to your greatness. So we accept this.
“He came in overweight as well. He had a good game plan, inside and outside of the ring. You can’t take that away from him.
“Thank you for making it a successful night. That was great for boxing.”