Riyadh Seating Drama: Ryan Garcia And Devin Haney Placed In The Blast Zone

The seating arrangement itself quickly became part of the conversation, with many fans questioning who thought placing Ryan and Haney side-by-side at a major boxing event was a good idea, given their long-running rivalry.

Photos from ringside showed Haney sitting directly in front of Ryan while the two appeared to exchange words during the event. Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh was later seen stepping between them as cameras focused on the area.

Given the visibility of the VIP section and the amount of attention surrounding both fighters, the moment quickly overshadowed parts of the event itself online.

Ryan and Haney have continued taking shots at each other since Garcia’s controversial majority decision victory in April 2024. Garcia dropped Haney three times that night, but the fight became clouded after Garcia missed weight before the bout.

Saturday’s encounter immediately created fresh talk about a rematch, especially with both fighters remaining linked to Saudi-backed events and major pay-per-view plans.

The moment was also notable because the rest of the VIP area featured major names in boxing, including Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. Even with Usyk defending his heavyweight title later in the evening, Ryan and Haney ended up becoming one of the night’s biggest talking points simply because of where they were sitting.