Retrospective · Fight: April 20, 2024 · Published:
Verified outcome
Garcia was announced the majority-decision winner after scoring three knockdowns, but that original result was later overturned by the New York State Athletic Commission to a no contest. Garcia had missed the 140-pound limit, so Haney’s WBC title was not available for Garcia to win and remained with Haney. The April 20 contest initially ended with majority-decision cards for Garcia and three knockdowns of Haney. The later record, however, says no contest; those ring events occurred, but they no longer constitute an official victory.
Why it mattered
This fight must be remembered in two layers: the dramatic ringside event and the final official record. The later ruling changed the outcome to a no contest, while the missed weight had already settled the WBC belt’s eligibility before the fight. The three knockdowns remain events that occurred in the ring, while the no contest governs the record. Holding both truths is more accurate than choosing one. Even under the original decision, Garcia was never eligible to leave as WBC champion. The scale changed the terms before the bell: Garcia exceeded 140 pounds and became ineligible to win the WBC belt. Haney could retain it even while losing the bout, a distinction separating the contracted spectacle from the championship's regulatory conditions.
A cautious reading
The enduring boxing image is Garcia’s repeated success with the left hook and Haney’s attempts to recover, but analysis should not erase the record correction. The no contest means neither boxer has an official win from the bout. Garcia's left hook produced the first knockdown and reappeared when Haney tried to recover initiative. Haney continued and won rounds, but the three knockdowns altered the announced cards; that ringside reading must remain separate from the sanction that followed.
A rewatch question
How should a viewer discuss an exciting performance when the governing commission later removes the win from the record? The WBC semester report now records a no contest, so a current account should not repeat the majority decision as the standing result. Accurate narration preserves chronology: original announcement, commission correction, and a title never available for Garcia to win. That sequence prevents a memorable performance from being confused with a victory removed from the record. The belt history and bout record therefore answer different questions. It also separates observed knockdowns from the outcome that belongs in official statistics.
Sources
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