Garcia vs Haney referee Harvey Dock will not face any further action other than a few sticking points following his performance on Saturday night.
There’s been a well-documented reaction to Dock’s alleged interference on social media. Memes and slow-motion videos have become the form in the days since the fight.
If the online accusation is considered gospel, Ryan Garcia got stopped from finishing Devin Haney after a seventh-round knockdown. Dock was also too hands-on in breaking the fighters up on many occasions.
After seeing some of what transpired, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman felt compelled to include Dock in his podcast.
“I do want to discuss a few things. The referee, Harvey Dock, who is a sensational top-class official, had a very difficult fight on his hand,” said Sulaiman.
“It was very complicated, and there were instances where he lost control of the fight, but it was a difficult task. There are some situations that need to be addressed, like the rabbit punching, the holding, and the reaction to the position when Ryan Garcia turned his back. But in the end, Harvey Dock is a very good referee, and it was a tough, tough fight to referee.”
On pre-fight issues over making weight, with Garcia taking heat for not attempting to make the 140-pound limit, Sulaiman added: “Devin Haney has had a marvelous career. He began with the WBC from day one and has been a great champion, and I am very proud of him.
“He made weight, he sacrificed, he did everything possible, and he accepted to go into the ring after Ryan Garcia did not make weight. Ryan, on the other hand, did not make weight. He did not attempt to make the weight; he accepted the penalties, and he went into the ring and had the fight of his life. It was a tremendous performance.
“The underdog won, he became the hero and the result is boxing is in the limelight from a dramatic fight when someone is not expected to win and against all odds comes out the victor and a special story.”
Everyone seems to be in the clear regarding build-up, fight, and aftermath, as Garcia used eyebrow-raising mind-game tactics to bamboozle Haney until the fight. But once both were inside the ropes, Garcia would not be denied.
“KingRy” pulled off a career-best victory and is now considered one of the most marketable fighters on the planet.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
