ORLANDO – Ryan Garcia’s legal team has filed a countersuit against former two-division champion Devin Haney and his father, Bill, repeatedly denying Haney’s assault, fraud and breach of contract claims, Garcia Seeking “not less than” $7.5 million in compensatory damages.
“this [Haney] The complaint was used for improper purposes to coerce Garcia into a rematch, cause financial harm to Garcia, damage his reputation, encourage a baseless investigation and gain media attention,” said Garcia attorneys Craig Weiner and Ray Na Jain described it as “totally inappropriate” in a 33-page counterclaim.
On April 20, Garcia won by three knockouts, but after Garcia submitted three positive tests for the banned drug Ostarine, he called Garcia a coward and a liar for not agreeing to a requirement for voluntary anti-doping Association conducts rematch of drug screening. -Contest,”[the Haneys] “They may want to settle personal scores, but their abuse of the judicial process and harassment of Garcia has cost Garcia millions of dollars, and they must be held accountable,” Garcia’s attorneys wrote in a countersuit filed on Dec. 4.
Devin Haney’s attorney, Pat English, told BoxingScene on Sunday that he believed Garcia’s counterclaim was “silly” and expected it to be dismissed by a New York court.
“I don’t think it meets the legal standards. In my opinion, it’s just stupid, it’s ridiculous,” English said.
Among allegations Haney has repeatedly denied, Garcia denied in a countersuit that he had received intravenous fluids before the fight and said the Haney family “is not entitled to any of the relief they seek in prayer.”
“Plaintiff’s claims are barred … because Devin Haney assumed the risk in participating in the fight with Garcia,” Garcia’s attorneys wrote, detailing Garcia’s payment to Haney. $600,000 because he was more than 3 pounds overweight for the WBC 140-pound title. Haney, who played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, added that Haney received 2% of the event’s net proceeds, plus an undisclosed amount of his wallet.
Haney accuses Garcia of battery, fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of contract against the former champion from Las Vegas.
The beating led to Haney being mocked on social media as the boxing match was expected to be grim, but Haney’s lawyer English said the response was “ignorant”.
“Battery is a legal term. I don’t understand why [Haney] It should have been heated,” English said. “Battery means unnecessary, forceful touching, and in this case it’s supported by a circuit court case that discussed a boxer’s behavior in a car without the permission of others. How taking PEDs with a boxer’s consent is considered battery. This is settled law, this is the appropriate course of action. “
The Haney family’s countersuit states that Devin’s father, coach and manager Bill Haney, set a 48-hour deadline for Garcia in October to join VADA and compete in the rematch.
Later, Bill Haney made multiple posts on “X,” writing: “Ryan, you can’t win the championship belt so you tie it to your arm and shoot Ostarin? … … You know VADA will reveal the truth. … Fans deserve transparency, not excuses.”
Garcia’s attorneys called the Haney lawsuit “baseless accusations” and sought to have the Haney lawsuit dismissed.
