One of the most unusual build-ups to a major prizefight in recent memory came no closer to normalcy on Thursday afternoon when Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia came together for the final press conference ahead of their intriguing but unsettling world super lightweight title fight in Brooklyn.
On paper it’s the caliber of event that’s all too rare in boxing today: a delicious matchup between two of America’s brightest young stars, both 25 years old and at the front of their athletic primes with ample top-flight experience. But it’s been almost entirely overshadowed by Garcia’s erratic behavior both in person and on social media, calling into question the responsibility of the New York State Athletic Commission in assessing a fighter’s mental fitness and whether Saturday’s fight at Barclays Center should even take place.
