Boxing star Ryan Garcia was arrested Saturday for felony vandalism after a Beverly Hills hotel accused him of causing an estimated $15,000 in damage, a Beverly Hills Police Department watch commander told ESPN.

Garcia, 25, was arrested at 5:45 p.m. after a driver who dropped him off at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills phoned police, according to police.

The hotel decided to press charges once police arrived, though the specific nature of the damage and Garcia’s behavior wasn’t immediately clear. After he was booked at the Beverly Hills Police Department jail, police said Garcia complained of a medical issue and was subsequently transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.

Garcia’s attorney, Darin Chavez, told ESPN that Garcia might also be charged with public intoxication.

In a statement issued later Saturday, Chavez said the arrest comes at “an extraordinarily challenging time for Ryan, as he has been grappling with devastating news regarding his mother’s health.”

“Ryan has been open about his struggles with mental health over the years, and at this time he is dealing with an immense emotional burden,” Chavez said in his statement. “The support and understanding from fans and the public are crucial as he navigates these personal challenges. We are working diligently to provide Ryan with the resources he needs. Our team is committed to ensuring that he receives the appropriate help and care to address both his immediate and long-term well-being. We ask for continued support and compassion as Ryan focuses on his family and his health at this time.”

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) faces suspension from the New York Athletic Commission after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine in the lead-up to his majority decision victory over Devin Haney in April in a major upset.

Garcia floored Haney three times but was ineligible to win the WBC junior welterweight title after he was 3.2 pounds overweight.

A decision is forthcoming from the commission, and his victory could be overturned.

• Jeff Wagenheim

Jun 9, 2024, 10:56 AM

Xander Zayas has been touted as a contender since he was a teenager, and he showed why on Saturday night in New York City, dominating Patrick Teixeira in a unanimous decision victory to remain undefeated as a junior middleweight prospect.

Zayas (19-0, 12 KOs), 21, also helped establish his boxing future in a different way at Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden. The native of San Juan was fighting on the weekend of the Puerto Rico Day Parade, a tradition for fighters from the island to be stars of the show at the Garden. Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad are among those who have made this tradition memorable.

Zayas, who signed with Top Rank when he was 16 and made his pro debut six weeks after his 17th birthday, marched forward from the start with attacks to the body. He landed 10 body punches in the second round and another nine in the third, while Teixeira managed just three during those six minutes. That put Zayas in full control, and by the end of the fight, he had landed 76 body punches to 12 for Teixeira. Zayas’ overall advantage in punches landed was 204-63, and he was threatening from start to finish.

But Teixeira (34-5, 25 KOs), who held the WBO junior middleweight world championship in 2021, stood tough and made it to the final bell.

Zayas moved his attack upstairs in Round 8 and snapped Teixeira’s head back several times with hooks and uppercuts. By the end of the ninth, the face of the 33-year-old Brazilian was bloody, and he was in survival mode, moving away from Zayas and throwing little offense back at the young fighter. Teixeira’s movement and toughness enabled him to make it to the end.

Two of the three judges scored every round for Zayas, while the third gave Teixeira one round.

“Thank you to the people of Puerto Rico,” Zayas said afterward. “Since I’m 5 years old, I’ve been dreaming about this.”

On Sunday, Zayas will take part in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan.

In Saturday’s co-main event, 2020 Olympic trials winner and New York City native Bruce Carrington knocked out late-notice opponent Brayan De Gracia in the eighth round of a dominant featherweight performance.

In scoring his third straight knockout, Carrington (12-0, 8 KOs), nicknamed “Shu Shu,” was faster and more aggressive the whole way. The 27-year-old from the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn knocked down De Gracia in the fifth and seventh rounds, although on the second one, the ropes prevented the Panamanian from falling to the canvas.

De Gracia (29-4, 25 KOs), 30, did not hit the floor on the finish, either, as Carrington trapped him against the ropes late in Round 8 and unleashed a flurry until the referee jumped in with four seconds left before the bell.

A Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios WBC welterweight title fight is being explored for this fall in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao Promotions president Sean Gibbons told ESPN.

Pacquiao, 45, hasn’t competed since an August 2021 decision loss to Yordenis Ugas. The all-time great boxer is a former senator in the Philippines (2016-22) and is expected to seek reelection next year as he attempts to finalize one final fight.

Rizin Fighting Federation announced Sunday that Pacquiao will face its featherweight champion, Chihiro Suzuki, in a boxing exhibition on July 28 in Saitama, Japan. It will be contested at 150 pounds over three three-minute rounds as Pacquiao looks to stay sharp ahead of what he hopes will be a title shot against Barrios later this year.

“I made history at 40 beating Keith Thurman and I feel at 45, I have a lot left in the game as I haven’t taken a lot of punishment over the last few years,” Pacquiao told ESPN. “I want to go out making history.”

Boxing’s only eight-division champion, Pacquiao won his first title in 1998 as a 112-pounder at age 19. His last title victory came against Thurman in July 2019 at 147 pounds.

Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) attempted to obtain special exemption to compete in the Olympics this summer in Paris but the IOC denied his request to bypass the age limit of 40 years old.

His 2015 loss to Floyd Mayweather remains the highest-grossing fight of all time with revenue grossed over $600 million.

Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) won the WBC interim welterweight title with a decision victory over Ugas in September. Terence Crawford was named champion in recess last month as he sets out to campaign at 154 pounds and it’s expected Barrios will be elevated to champion.

Barrios, a 29-year-old from San Antonio, is ESPN’s No. 5 welterweight. He has won three consecutive fights since back-to-back losses to Gervonta Davis and Thurman in 2021-22.

“I’m very excited at the possibility of this fight being made,” Barrios said. “Manny Pacquiao is a future Hall of Famer, a legend and someone I looked up to growing up. To share the ring with him would be an honor and a dream come true.”