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Sean Garcia just cannot seem to catch a break. Ryan Garcia’s brother is staring at yet another setback after the athletic commission declined to clear his opponent.
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Fighting on the fringes, Sean, whose boxing career has largely unfolded in the shadow of his famous brother’s controversy-filled journey, had hoped for a fresh start in crossover boxing after that devastating loss to Amado Vargas two years ago. Instead, another obstacle emerged after the athletic commission objected to scheduled opponent Samuel “Scam Likely” White‘s participation.
“Bad news, everyone,” Garcia wrote on Instagram Story. “The commission didn’t approve Scam and myself to have a fight due to experience. Working on getting a replacement and will keep everyone updated.”
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The announcement followed comments from Adin Ross, the man behind the Brand Risk event where Sean and Scam had been scheduled to compete on the main card in a light heavyweight clash.
Sharing details during a livestream, Ross claimed Scam Likely failed to make the right impression in front of the commission.
‼️ Adin Ross reveals that Scam Likely failed his workout in front of the athletic commission, who reportedly told him he isn’t ready to become a pro yet — ultimately causing the fight with Sean Garcia to fall through 😳 pic.twitter.com/xWqGobS17Q
— IFN (@IfnBoxing) May 15, 2026
“Two days ago, Scam did a workout and he’s looking really, really good,” Ross said. “He’s doing really well, and he’s sparring great. Jordan tells Scam, “Yo, like, I need you to do this next workout; the commission is going to be watching.” I need you to basically go all out and do exactly what you guys want. Come early and look sharp.”
“What does he do when the commission’s watching? Gets some punches and shows up late. So Scam did not get here to move up, basically. So that’s basically what it is. So, yeah. But he really sucks. It really, really does suck.”
Despite the uncertainty, Ross maintained that Sean Garcia could still remain in the mix.
“I’m going to get Sean to fight still,” he added. “We’re going to wait for Sean to have a little shot.”
Ross’s version of events, however, quickly drew a rebuttal from Scam Likely himself.
Scam Likely breaks silence after Sean Garcia fight setback
“THIS IS FALSE!” he wrote. “The first thing the commission said was, ‘You look great, but I can’t let this fight happen.’ ” He had his mind made up before I even threw a single punch. When I sparred, he was impressed and was surprised I wasn’t already a pro.”
The development arrives after the two camps have already spent days trading call-outs on social media. The lead-up to the UFC Apex event reportedly saw Scam agreeing to face off at 155.5 pounds after Garcia insisted on a lower weight limit.
While Sean still appears optimistic about competing on the May 23 card, the latest setback once again interrupts an already uneven boxing journey.
Active since 2018, Sean, nicknamed “Sugar Rush,” has struggled to build momentum, competing only intermittently while frequently appearing on his older brother’s cards.
Even so, he managed to put together a win streak before suffering a major setback in 2024. Matched up against boxing legend Fernando Vargas’s son Amado on the Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz card, Sean suffered a brutal knockout loss in the sixth round.
The defeat came at a turbulent time for the family, with Ryan Garcia serving a year-long suspension following the doping controversy surrounding his fight against Devin Haney.
Sean and Amado were later expected to run it back, but the rematch never materialized.
Now, the latest episode involving Scam Likely has once again stalled Sean Garcia’s attempted comeback, even if it comes through crossover boxing.
For Scam, too, the situation appears bleak, especially after the Athletic Commission’s stance. The verdict comes as a surprise given how the 21-year-old Washington native, who built his name through streaming content, has consistently appeared at Brand Risk events since last year.
For now, the focus shifts to whether Ross and his team can quickly find Sean Garcia another opponent before the event takes another hit.
