At the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on April 20th, a much-anticipated bout unfolded between WBC super lightweight champion Haney and Garcia. While Haney aimed to defend his title, Garcia delivered a shocking upset by securing a majority decision victory, marking Haney’s first professional loss. Notably, Garcia had bet on himself to win against Haney on a betting platform before the fight. Let’s delve into the specifics of this intriguing development.
Ryan Garcia Places Bet on Himself in Bout Against Devin Haney
Garcia entered the fight as the clear underdog due to his social media and public struggles before the event. Additionally, he failed to make weight, further solidifying the belief that he would not win. As a result, he had to pay Haney $1.5 million, according to their bet. However, Garcia recouped his losses by placing a bet on himself at low odds. He confirmed this by sharing screenshots on Instagram, indicating that he wagered $2 million and won $12 million.
Meanwhile, a user confidently stated that boxers placing bets on themselves is entirely permissible in boxing. However, Ryan Garcia gradually gained momentum throughout the fight, particularly in Round 7, where he successfully knocked down Haney and dominated the latter part. Despite Haney’s aggressive retaliation in the following rounds, Garcia’s powerful punches in Rounds 10 and 11 proved crucial, resulting in knockdowns during both rounds.
Although Ryan Garcia emerged as the winner of the fight, he could not claim the title due to failing to meet the weight requirement. Despite facing criticism for this, Garcia’s three knockdowns of Haney throughout the 12 rounds solidified his victory and once again demonstrated his skill in the boxing ring. While it remains uncertain whether Garcia’s self-bet was permissible by the rules, he remains the victorious underdog who defeated Devin Haney. According to his tweets, he may now have his sights set on even bigger fights.
