Ryan Garcia is officially cleared to fight Rolando "Rolly" Romero.
The New York State Athletic Commission had suspended Garcia for a failed drug test following his April 2024 decision win over Devin Haney. But just ahead of his May 2 fight with Romero in Times Square, NYSAC has officially lifted the suspension.
"The suspension has been lifted as all conditions of the Consent Order have been met," a NYSAC spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN.
The victory was overturned to a no contest, and Garcia was suspended from competition for one year, hit with a $10,000 fine, and forced to forfeit his entire purse from the Haney fight after the banned substance Ostarine was found in samples collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). Haney filed a civil lawsuit against Garcia and received an undisclosed portion of Garcia's purse.
Garcia, 26, spent the past year carrying out the conditions of the suspension, including submitting to randomized drug tests. Now clear of his suspension, Garcia will headline the May 2 card against Romero while Haney will compete in the co-main event against Jose Ramirez Jr. with the expectation that a rematch between Garcia and Haney will take place later this year if both win their respective fights.
