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Fanmio Sues Ryan Garcia, Alleging Feigned Injury to Avoid Exhibition Fight
A legal battle has erupted between entertainment company Fanmio and professional boxer Ryan Garcia, with the Florida-based company alleging that Garcia fabricated a wrist injury last year to avoid fulfilling his contractual obligations for an exhibition fight. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in California, accuses Garcia of breach of contract and accuses Golden Boy promotions of preventing the fight from happening.
The core of the dispute revolves around a planned exhibition bout between Garcia and Rukiya Anpo, a Japanese kickboxer. This exhibition was intended to provide Garcia with an opportunity to remain active in the sport while serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Garcia’s suspension stemmed from a positive test for Ostarine following his April 2024 fight against Devin Haney, a match Garcia won by majority decision. The exhibition fight was scheduled for December 30 in Tokyo.
However, on December 15, Garcia announced he had suffered a wrist injury during training camp, forcing him to postpone the fight. According to the lawsuit, Fanmio alleges that Garcia’s claims of injury are false. They say the boxer feigned the injury and backed out on December 14, a day before the event.
Fanmio contends that Garcia was contractually bound to participate in the exhibition. The timing of Garcia’s alleged injury and subsequent actions have further fueled Fanmio’s suspicions. Only weeks later, on January 20, it was announced that Garcia would be fighting Rolando "Rolly" Romero in New York on May 2, shortly after his suspension was scheduled to end. This sudden booking of a major fight, without any apparent sign of recovery from the wrist injury, has led Fanmio to believe that Garcia never actually suffered a significant injury in the first place.
“Instead, with no sign of any surgery or recovery from the ‘injury’ that prevented him from participating in the Exhibition, Garcia is set to fight against Rolly Romero in New York on May 2," the complaint states.
Lupe Valencia, Garcia’s attorney, has responded to the lawsuit, stating that the boxer "didn’t do anything wrong" and that they intend to respond to the complaint in court. Valencia offered no further comment on the specifics of the case.
Garcia’s public announcement of the injury included a news release stating that he had been evaluated three days earlier by orthopedic surgeon Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles. The release quoted Shin as recommending that Garcia "hold off on sparring and boxing matches for several weeks" due to an aggravated bilateral wrist injury. Shin also stated that treatment options would be discussed after further evaluation. Fanmio calls into question whether this was truly an injury that prevented Garcia from fighting, and allege that the timing of the announcement was meant to coincide with Fanmio pulling out of contract negotiations.
Fanmio’s lawsuit also targets Golden Boy Promotions, the company with which Garcia is under contract. Fanmio accuses Golden Boy of improperly using its influence and contractual relationship with Garcia to prevent the exhibition fight from taking place. The complaint alleges that Golden Boy Promotions, founded by retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, demanded a "king’s ransom" from Fanmio to allow the fight to proceed. According to Fanmio, this exorbitant demand ultimately led to Garcia using the alleged injury as a pretext to withdraw from the fight when Fanmio refused to meet Golden Boy’s financial terms.
In announcing the postponement of the fight on December 15, Fanmio CEO Solomon Engel publicly wished Garcia a speedy recovery and expressed hope for rescheduling the event. However, according to the lawsuit, Fanmio had already incurred over $1 million in expenses related to promoting the fight by that point. The company is seeking damages in excess of $75,000.
Fanmio’s complaint paints a picture of a situation where Garcia, facing a suspension and seeking earning opportunities, initially embraced the exhibition fight opportunity offered by Fanmio. However, the lawsuit contends that Garcia ultimately abandoned Fanmio when Golden Boy Promotions allegedly interfered, prioritizing their own interests and the potential profits from Garcia’s future fights.
The lawsuit emphasizes the financial implications of Garcia’s actions, stating that both Garcia and Golden Boy stand to profit significantly from the May 2 fight in New York. “Upon information and belief, Garcia is being paid $40 million for the Times Square Fight and his next fight through Golden Boy," the complaint states. “Golden Boy is expected to see profits well in excess of that given Garcia’s popularity."
In addition to breach of contract, Fanmio’s complaint includes claims of unjust enrichment, tortious interference, fraudulent inducement, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, declaratory judgment, and promissory estoppel. These additional claims suggest that Fanmio intends to pursue a broad range of legal arguments in its attempt to recover damages and hold Garcia and Golden Boy accountable for their alleged actions.
The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the world of boxing promotions and the contractual obligations of fighters. The case raises questions about the validity of injury claims, the influence of promoters, and the enforceability of exhibition fight agreements. The legal proceedings will likely involve a detailed examination of the contracts, medical records, and communications between the parties involved, as well as expert testimony on the nature of Garcia’s alleged injury and the standard practices in the boxing industry.
