Boxer Ryan Garcia is back in the ring and looking to put a string of troubling incidents behind him.
Garcia endured a tumultuous 2024, starting with a split from his wife. His year unraveled after a positive drug test tainted a win over Devin Haney, with Garcia unleashing disturbing rants on social media and receiving punishment from multiple boxing organizations.
Despite his public mental health struggles, Garcia tweeted in early 2025 that he "made the mental comeback" and agreed to make his return to boxing with a fight against Rolando Romero in Times Square.
The Sporting News takes a look back at Garcia's timeline of trouble, from offensive comments to a 2024 arrest.
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Ryan Garcia timeline of trouble
January 2024: Divorce from wife
Garcia revealed he was divorcing his wife in January 2024, hours after he announced the birth to their son.
"As I step into a new chapter in my life, it's with a heavy heart to share that Drea and I have decided to divorce," Garcia wrote in a now-deleted post. "While this decision marks the end of our marriage, it's important to emphasize that our relationship as co-parents remains our top priority."
It wasn't publicly known that Garcia was even married before the announcement, but TMZ later reported the two married each other in 2021 and actually split on Christmas Day in 2023.
2024-25: Concerning tweets
Garcia started sending bizarre tweets in February and March 2024, including a handful that targeted boxer and celebrity Jake Paul.
"BRING IT ON JAKE IM DEAD F—ING SERIOUS F‚ YOU! HIT MY TEAM UP," Garcia tweeted at Paul.
Days later, Garcia joined an X Spaces live stream with controversial influencer Andrew Tate and raised more eyebrows when he claimed he was forced by "elites" to watch criminal sex acts. He continued to rant about the subject in a series of tweets.
Later in March, Garcia tweeted claims that Paul's new line of energy drinks was "killing people," prompting Paul to work out a sponsorship deal with Haney.
The difference between alcohol and prime is one says it can kill you the other claims it’s healthy meanwhile it’s killing you.
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) March 12, 2024
After the Mets cancelled a ceremonial first pitch by Haney and Garcia before their fight over fear of an altercation between the two, Garcia posted a video bashing the franchise in vulgar terms.
As the fight approached, Garcia tweeted, "My intention is to Kill Devin Haney."
When Haney petitioned for the result of the fight to be overturned following Garcia's positive drug test, Garcia took to X to call Haney a "CRY BABY B—" in a series of posts.
Garcia hit a new low point in July 2024, when he made disparaging comments about black people and Muslim in an X spaces livestream. The boxer repeatedly used anti-black slurs, called himself "anti-black" and "KKK" as part of the tirade, which led the World Boxing Council to expel him.
After allegedly going to rehab in the second half of 2024, Garcia's social media activity quieted down in 2025 — but not enough for him to stop targeting Haney. Garcia took multiple jabs at Haney on X in early 2025, saying he "can't wait to get [his] hands back on Haney" and denying — often in vulgar language — that he ever took steroids.
MORE: Where to watch Ryan Garcia's fight in Times Square
May 2024: Failed drug test, NYSAC suspension
Garcia tested positive for performance-enhancing drug Ostarine before upsetting Devin Haney in an April 2024. The test turned up positive after the fight and put a cloud over what was one of the pinnacle moments of Garcia's young career.
"Everybody knows that I don't cheat," Garcia said on in a social media video. "Never taken a steroid. ... I don't even know where to get steroids. ... I barely take supplements. Big lies. I beat his a—."
Garcia couldn't win the welterweight title with the victory, as he missed weight during the weigh-in before the fight.
While Garcia continues to deny he would take a performance-enhancing drug, he ultimately agreed to a one-year suspension from boxing through the New York State Athletic Commission. Per the parameters of the suspension, Garcia was eligible for reinstatement on April 20, 2025 — and he met the conditions, officially earning reinstatement on his first day of eligibility.
MORE: Full details on Ryan Garcia's suspension for failed drug test
June 2024 vandalism arrest
Amid public concern about his mental health, Garcia was arrested and charged with one count of vandalism on June 8, 2024.
Prosecutors accused Garcia of causing an estimated $15,000 in damages to a hotel room in the Beverly Hills section of Los Angeles. Garcia's lawyer released a statement after his client was formally charged, attributing the incident to a mental health episode.
"[Garcia] knows the focus must be on his well-being and mental health issues which have been strained," his attorney said. "There is no alternative."
The charge was dismissed in October, with Garcia's attorney arguing the incident occurred after his client "learned of his mother's significant health issues and was under a tremendous amount of stress."
July 2024: Expulsion from WBC
The World Boxing Council (WBC) expelled Garcia in July 2024, after a series of racist and offensive comments by the boxer on social media, including disparaging comments made toward black people and Muslims.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said Garcia "declined" attempts by the organization to provide him with help for his mental health troubles before the decision was made.
Exercising my authority as president of the WBC , I am hereby expelling Ryan Garcia from any activity with our organization. We reject any form of discrimination. I fear for Ryan well being as he has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse pic.twitter.com/pCIOH2am7B
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) July 4, 2024
Garcia's family also denounced the offensive comments made by the boxer. "Our family unequivocally does not support any statements [Garcia] has made regarding race or religion — these do not reflect who Ryan truly is and how he was raised," the family said in a statement after the WBC's decision.
The WBC is one of the major organizations that sanctions professional boxing events.