Ryan Garcia is the WBC welterweight champion and one of boxing’s most recognizable fighters, but his career has also included a PED suspension, an arrest, and an expulsion from the WBC. Garcia enters his September 12 title defense against Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas following a turbulent stretch that saw his victory over Devin Haney overturned and his relationship with the WBC eventually repaired. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Ryan Garcia Tested Positive for Ostarine After the Devin Haney Fight
Garcia scored one of the biggest performances of his career against Devin Haney in April 2024, dropping Haney three times on his way to a majority decision victory.
Weeks later, it emerged that Garcia had tested positive for the banned substance ostarine in samples collected the day before and the day of the fight, according to The Sun.
Garcia denied intentionally using a performance-enhancing drug and maintained that contaminated supplements were responsible for the positive tests.
The New York State Athletic Commission ultimately suspended Garcia for one year, and the Haney victory was changed to a no contest. Garcia also forfeited his disclosed purse from the fight.
The suspension temporarily stopped the momentum Garcia had generated with his performance against Haney and kept him out of sanctioned competition.
2. He Was Arrested Following an Incident at a Beverly Hills Hotel
Garcia faced another problem in June 2024 when he was arrested following an incident at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
The boxer was accused of causing more than £11,000 worth of damage at the hotel.
Garcia’s attorney, Darin Chavez, said the incident happened during “an extraordinarily challenging time for Ryan, as he has been grappling with devastating news regarding his mother’s health.”
Garcia had publicly revealed that his mother, Lisa Diaz Garcia, was battling cancer during that period.
The misdemeanor charge was later dropped after the hotel was satisfied with Garcia reimbursing it £11,070 for the damage.
3. Ryan Garcia Was Expelled by the WBC Over Offensive Social Media Comments
Garcia’s relationship with the WBC reached a breaking point in July 2024.
The organization expelled him from its activities following his repeated use of racial slurs against Black people and disparaging comments about Muslims on social media.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman announced the decision publicly.
“Exercising my authority … I am hereby expelling Ryan Garcia from any activity with our organization. We reject any form of discrimination,” Sulaiman wrote, via ESPN.
Garcia subsequently apologized for his comments and said he had been “trolling.”
Sulaiman also expressed concern about Garcia at the time, writing, “I fear for Ryan well being as he has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse.”
4. The WBC Lifted Its Ban & Welcomed Garcia Back
Garcia’s separation from the WBC did not prove permanent.
In November 2025, the organization announced that it was lifting its ban, allowing Garcia to once again compete for its championships.
“The WBC has been very close to Ryan, his family, management and promoter and we trust a new life inside and outside the ring will begin,” the WBC said in its announcement. “We welcome you with open arms and trust you will be an ambassador for the new generation.”
The decision gave Garcia an opportunity to rebuild his standing with the organization after his 2024 expulsion.
It also opened a path toward the world championship that had previously eluded him.
5. Ryan Garcia Rebounded to Become WBC Welterweight Champion
Garcia returned from his turbulent stretch with another opportunity to establish himself inside the ring.
In February 2026, he defeated Mario Barrios by a lopsided decision to capture the WBC welterweight championship, giving him the world title he had been pursuing.
Now Garcia enters his first defense of that belt with a 25-2 record and 20 knockouts.
He faces Benn, who enters the September 12 showdown with a 25-1 record and 14 knockouts. Both fighters successfully made the 147-pound welterweight limit ahead of the fight at T-Mobile Arena.
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