The boxing world is buzzing with a legal punch thrown by Fanmio, an entertainment company, against star boxer Ryan Garcia. The company has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in California, alleging that Garcia deliberately faked a wrist injury to back out of a scheduled exhibition fight last December. This legal battle throws a spotlight on Garcia’s actions during his suspension period and raises questions about his commitment to contractual obligations.
The heart of the dispute revolves around an exhibition match that was supposed to pit Garcia against Rukiya Anpo in Tokyo on December 30th. This event was designed to allow Garcia to stay active in the ring while serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance, Ostarine, following his April 2024 victory over Devin Haney. However, just two weeks before the scheduled fight, on December 15th, Garcia announced he had sustained a wrist injury during training and would be unable to participate.
According to Fanmio’s lawsuit, this injury claim was a fabrication. The company alleges that Garcia actually decided to withdraw from the fight on December 14th, a day before publicly announcing his injury. They claim he “feigned” the injury to avoid fulfilling his contractual obligations. This accusation paints a picture of a boxer intentionally misleading the promoters and fans.
The lawsuit further fuels speculation by pointing to Garcia’s upcoming fight against Rolly Romero in New York on May 2nd, just weeks after his suspension ends. Fanmio’s complaint highlights the apparent contradiction: “Instead, with no sign of any surgery or recovery from the ‘injury’ that prevented him from participating in the Exhibition, Garcia is set to fight against Rolly Romero in New York on May 2 — the Times Square Fight.” This statement strongly implies that Garcia’s wrist was never seriously injured, and the injury was used as a convenient excuse.
Garcia’s legal representative, Lupe Valencia, has responded to the lawsuit, stating that Garcia “didn’t do anything wrong and we’re going to respond to the lawsuit.” However, this brief response leaves many questions unanswered.
Adding another layer to the controversy, Fanmio’s lawsuit also targets Golden Boy Promotions, with whom Garcia has a contract. Fanmio accuses Golden Boy of “improperly using its influence over and contract with Garcia to prevent the match from happening.” This suggests a potential behind-the-scenes conflict that may have contributed to Garcia’s withdrawal.
The initial announcement of Garcia’s injury included a statement from orthopedic surgeon Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics, who recommended that Garcia refrain from sparring and boxing matches for several weeks. Shin’s statement, however, did leave room for further evaluation and treatment, which Fanmio claims never happened.
Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, has yet to respond to requests for comment, leaving the public to speculate on the company’s role in this dispute.
This lawsuit raises significant questions about the integrity of boxing contracts and the responsibilities of athletes. If Fanmio’s allegations are proven true, it could have serious repercussions for Garcia’s reputation and career. As the legal battle unfolds, the boxing community will be watching closely to see how this drama plays out.
