Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney’s bumper card boosted by world’s most avoided heavyweight in huge title eliminator
Turki Alalshikh has announced a stacked springtime triple-header for Ring Magazine’s inaugural US boxing card. Fierce rivals Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney will compete in separate bouts on the bill, which is pencilled in for May in New York City’s Times Square. Garcia and Haney are back in separate bouts on the same cardGetty Garcia is set to take on former WBA super lightweight champion Rolly Romero while Haney will duke it out with former WBC and WBO super lightweight title holder Jose Ramirez on the same night. Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz was the initial frontrunner to face Garcia next, but the Mexican puncher didn’t feel comfortable negotiating another fight while preparing for his upcoming clash with Angel Fierro on February 1. As a result, attention turned to the man Cruz stopped inside eight rounds in March for the WBA super lightweight crown. “Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz would absolutely love to fight Ryan Garcia, but with the timing of this coming out as ‘Pitbull’ is scheduled to fight February 1,” Cruz’s adviser Sean Gibbons told Boxing Scene. “He didn’t feel comfortable negotiating another fight and turning his attention to that fight, too. It was bad luck in his eyes.” Elsewhere on the bill, a man many believe to be the most avoided heavyweight on the planet, Martin Bakole, trades leather with Efe Ajagba in an IBF final eliminator. The contest is scheduled to go to purse bids on January 30. Ajagba got the call to face Bakole to determine the major sanctioning body’s mandatory after Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang passed up on the opportunity. IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois defends his red and gold strap against Joseph Parker on February 22 in Saudia Arabia. Whoever emerges victorious from Bakole and Ajagba’s final eliminator will be next in line to face the title holder. Bakole is set to face Ajagba in a IBF final eliminator on the billGETTY The card will be named after the upcoming video game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as part of a collaboration between Japanese entertainment company SNK and Ring Magazine. Providing Garcia and Haney come through their respective fights unscathed, the plan is for both men to rematch in October over in Saudi Arabia. Last April, Garcia dropped Haney three times en route to an initial majority decision loss, which was later overturned to a no contest when it was found Garcia had tested positive for the banned substance ostarine. As a result, Garcia received a one-year ban from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC). His suspension ends on April 20, 2025, but in order to be re-licensed he must submit a clean drugs test. “The New York State Athletic Commission has reached a settlement with Ryan Garcia following his bout on April 20th at the Barclay’s Center,” said the boxing commission in a statement after the news broke Garcia had failed a drug test. Turki Alalshikh's triple header Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez Martin Bakole vs Efe Ajagba (IBF heavyweight final eliminator) “Under the terms of the Consent Order, Mr. Garcia is subject to the following actions. “1), his win against Mr. Devin Haney has been changed to an official ‘no-contest’. “2), his purse has been forfeited; 3), a fine of $10,000 has been imposed. “And 4), his New York State professional boxer license will be suspended until April 20, 2025, and until such time as he provides a clean urinalysis to the Commission. “The Commission will continue to hold athletes to the highest professional standards and protect the integrity of all sports under our jurisdiction.” Follow talkBOXING on social media talkBOXING is now on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us on social media for big breaking boxing news, exclusive interviews and the best bits from our talkBOXING YouTube show. Like our Facebook page HERE Follow us on Twitter HERE Sign up for our WhatsApp channel HERE
Turki Alalshikh has announced a stacked springtime triple-header for Ring Magazine’s inaugural US boxing card.
Fierce rivals Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney will compete in separate bouts on the bill, which is pencilled in for May in New York City’s Times Square.
Garcia is set to take on former WBA super lightweight champion Rolly Romero while Haney will duke it out with former WBC and WBO super lightweight title holder Jose Ramirez on the same night.
Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz was the initial frontrunner to face Garcia next, but the Mexican puncher didn’t feel comfortable negotiating another fight while preparing for his upcoming clash with Angel Fierro on February 1.
As a result, attention turned to the man Cruz stopped inside eight rounds in March for the WBA super lightweight crown.
“Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz would absolutely love to fight Ryan Garcia, but with the timing of this coming out as ‘Pitbull’ is scheduled to fight February 1,” Cruz’s adviser Sean Gibbons told Boxing Scene.
“He didn’t feel comfortable negotiating another fight and turning his attention to that fight, too. It was bad luck in his eyes.”
Elsewhere on the bill, a man many believe to be the most avoided heavyweight on the planet, Martin Bakole, trades leather with Efe Ajagba in an IBF final eliminator.
The contest is scheduled to go to purse bids on January 30.
Ajagba got the call to face Bakole to determine the major sanctioning body’s mandatory after Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang passed up on the opportunity.
IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois defends his red and gold strap against Joseph Parker on February 22 in Saudia Arabia.
Whoever emerges victorious from Bakole and Ajagba’s final eliminator will be next in line to face the title holder.
The card will be named after the upcoming video game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as part of a collaboration between Japanese entertainment company SNK and Ring Magazine.
Providing Garcia and Haney come through their respective fights unscathed, the plan is for both men to rematch in October over in Saudi Arabia.
Last April, Garcia dropped Haney three times en route to an initial majority decision loss, which was later overturned to a no contest when it was found Garcia had tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
As a result, Garcia received a one-year ban from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC).
His suspension ends on April 20, 2025, but in order to be re-licensed he must submit a clean drugs test.
“The New York State Athletic Commission has reached a settlement with Ryan Garcia following his bout on April 20th at the Barclay’s Center,” said the boxing commission in a statement after the news broke Garcia had failed a drug test.
Turki Alalshikh's triple header
Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero
Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez
Martin Bakole vs Efe Ajagba (IBF heavyweight final eliminator)
“Under the terms of the Consent Order, Mr. Garcia is subject to the following actions.
“1), his win against Mr. Devin Haney has been changed to an official ‘no-contest’.
“2), his purse has been forfeited; 3), a fine of $10,000 has been imposed.
“And 4), his New York State professional boxer license will be suspended until April 20, 2025, and until such time as he provides a clean urinalysis to the Commission.
“The Commission will continue to hold athletes to the highest professional standards and protect the integrity of all sports under our jurisdiction.”
