Boxing’s wildest maverick since Mike Tyson: Ryan Garcia was ‘drinking and smoking EVERY day’, proposed to a porn star in fight week and left fans concerned with his bizarre social media rants… and he still schooled Devin Haney!

Boxing remains one of the most unpredictable sports in the world, and fans and pundits alike were left in stitches once again this weekend as Ryan Garcia scored a stunning victory over Devin Haney in New York.

Garcia’s talent has never been in question, but few were rooting for him to beat the ultimate professional Haney on Saturday night, and for good reason. His pre-fight preparations can be summed up in one word: chaotic.

Garcia and Haney each shared three wins when they fought each other in the amateurs, but since moving to the professional ranks, their careers had taken very different paths.

Haney became the undisputed lightweight champion and then moved up to win a world title at light welterweight, barely dropping a round along the way, while Garcia lost his undefeated record to Gervonta Davis last year and seemed to have gone off the rails over the past twelve years . months.

To have a chance at beating Haney, it seemed like he had to be laser-focused, but there was no indication he was in that mindset Saturday night.

Before the unrest, fans had grown concerned about his social media rants in the lead-up

For weeks, fans wondered if the fight would actually happen. Just days after his fight with Haney was announced, Garcia began posting some bizarre rants on social media, causing everyone to worry for his well-being.

A disturbing video emerged on Garcia’s social media claiming he was dead after his “throat was slit” in early March, before the 25-year-old responded to let the public know he was very much alive.

But he did little to allay fears when he later claimed he had been raped by a relative as a child and witnessed “human trafficking.”

He then shared posts on his account about “demons” and “UFOs” before labeling X owner Elon Musk as “the Antichrist” and predicting earthquakes that would “destroy Hollywood and Las Vegas.”

This led to the New York Athletic Commission stepping in and revealing that Garcia had to undergo a “mental health evaluation” before he could enter the ring to face Haney.

With authorities threatening to pull the plug on the biggest fight of his career, Garcia may have been advised to tone things down during fight week. But if it was, he didn’t pay attention.

After divorcing his model ex-wife Andrea Celina in January, Garcia proposed to Australian porn star Savannah Bond early last week — and she said yes!

Garcia proposed to Australian porn star Savannah Bond (photo) a few days before the fight

He posted on X that Bond had said yes to his proposal, just three months after his divorce from his ex-wife

The week only got wilder when Garcia was kicked out of the New York Mets’ stadium right before he was set to throw the first pitch, and he followed that up by showing up at the pre-fight press conference and agreeing to pay Haney $500,000 to pay. for every pound he exceeded the weight limit.

He must have known he wasn’t going to make 140 pounds, and then he missed the weight limit by an astonishing 3.2 pounds, but he just didn’t care because it looked like he was drinking a beer on the scale.

Haney could have called the fight off at that point, but he decided to reach an agreement with Garcia to keep the show going, and who could blame him? Garcia had shown time and time again that he was incapable of fighting. It would be an easy night for Haney, right?

Fight night arrived and Garcia finally watched the calm in his locker room as he went through his warm-up routine with a classical music group before hugging fellow maverick Mike Tyson.

But it was all certainly too late. Fights are won and lost in the gym, and Garcia looked like he hadn’t been in one for the past two months.

On his way to the ring with a $1 million crown, Garcia seemed destined to be embarrassed by Haney, but he had other ideas.

Garcia rocked his compatriot with a left hook in the opening round, then sent him to the canvas in the seventh, 10th and 11th en route to a majority decision victory.

With each knockdown, Garcia danced and posed for the crowd, goading Haney in the closing seconds of the final round as he knew he had done enough to get his hand up.

Garcia appeared to smoke cannabis just hours after his victory over Haney on Saturday

It was the ultimate showman’s performance, with Garcia proving all his doubters wrong.

So, was it all an act? Garcia asked the packed crowd at the Barclays Center if they “really thought (he) was crazy?” in the immediate aftermath of his win, but claimed in his post-fight press conference that he had been drinking and smoking every day in training camp.

Footage also emerged of Garcia appearing to smoke cannabis shortly after his victory as he enjoyed upsetting the odds.

It’s also not hard to see where Garcia gets his bizarre antics from, as his father got into a heated argument with promoter Eddie Hearn after Saturday’s fight, but the pair quickly made up moments later.

How much of Garcia’s behavior was for show and how much was real, we may never know, but one thing is certain: he is now one of the hottest properties in boxing.

Garcia could be ready for a rematch with Gervonta Davis after losing to him last year

Conor Benn is another option after the Brit called him up on X on Sunday

After previously being accused of only being an Instagram fighter due to his massive social media following, Garcia proved he is much more than that by defeating a pound-for-pound star.

He has shown he is not afraid to take on the biggest challenges after taking on Davis and Haney in two of his last three fights, and now he has the world at his feet.

Rematches with Davis and Haney could be on the table, while Garcia was also involved in a war of words with Britain’s Conor Benn on X on Sunday.

Another option is to move up to a different weight class to take on undefeated American Jaron Ennis, while Garcia has also suggested he could jump even higher to take on 154lb champion Sebastian Fundora.

Despite historically being a sport full of characters, boxing hasn’t had someone as wild as Garcia since Tyson.

Every fight, every press conference and every weigh-in has been a great event for the heavyweight, and Garcia has been just as closely watched over the past two months. And he gave birth in the ring.

Garcia is boxing’s wildest maverick since Mike Tyson, and fans want to see what he does next

Whether Garcia can match Tyson’s success remains to be seen, but at 25 years old, his journey appears to be just beginning.

Whoever he fights next, fans will tune in, with some wanting to see him humbled, while others hoping he can continue his rise.

Boxing hasn’t had such a polarizing figure since Floyd Mayweather, and Garcia has gotten casual and hardcore fans talking about the sport again.

For now, he will bask in the glory of his greatest victory. But there are definitely more big fights ahead.