Boxing star Ryan Garcia apologized on Friday for racist comments he made against black people and derogatory remarks he made about Muslims during a recent social media livestream.
“I take full responsibility for my words,” Garcia wrote in a post on X. “Sorry to anyone I offended.”
Garcia went on to say that he is “misunderstood,” that he struggles with drug abuse and that he is “going to rehab.”
His apology came a day after World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman announced that his sanctioning body would ban Garcia for his controversial actions during the livestream.
“We reject any form of discrimination,” Sulaiman wrote. “I fear for Ryan’s well-being as he has rejected multiple attempts to seek our help with mental health and substance abuse.”
Oscar De La Hoya, Garcia’s promoter, condemned his fighter’s behavior in a sharp statement issued Friday on X.
“There is no room for hate or intolerance at my company. Period. I condemn Ryan’s words in the strongest possible terms,” De La Hoya wrote. “I see he has apologized, and that is a start — but it is only a start in earning back the trust and respect of those of us who have supported and continue to support him. We hope Ryan will use the time he has away from the sport to address the issues he has publicly discussed. We stand ready to assist in any way we can.”
“There is no room for hate or intolerance at my company. Period. I condemn Ryan’s words in the strongest possible terms. I see he has apologized, and that is a start – but it is only a start in earning back the trust and respect of those of us who have supported us and continue to support us…
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) July 5, 2024
Garcia is currently serving a one-year suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine. The suspension was backdated to Garcia’s April 20 win over Devin Haney, which has since been overturned to a no-contest.
Garcia has strongly denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Two supplements listed on doping control forms submitted with Garcia’s urine samples on April 19 and 20 showed the presence of the banned substance.
Garcia, 25, was also arrested in June on suspicion of vandalism following an incident at a Beverly Hills hotel in which he allegedly caused $15,000 in damage.
Garcia’s family responded to his recent disturbing behavior and comments on social media, saying they “do not reflect his true character or beliefs, or those of our family.”
“Our family unequivocally does not support any statement [Garcia] “We have not made any statements regarding race or religion — these do not reflect who Ryan truly is or how he was raised,” the family’s statement said. “Those who know Ryan can attest to this fact. Ryan has been open about his ongoing struggles with mental health over the years and as a family we are committed to ensuring and encouraging him to receive the support he needs to navigate this very challenging time and address both his immediate and long-term well-being.”
This report used information from The Associated Press.