Tag: Ryan Garcia knockout

Good, bad, worse: Could we actually see Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis?

Good, bad, worse: Could we actually see Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis?

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Ryan Garcia knocked out Javier Fortuna, not one of the titleholders or top contenders at or near his weight. A one-sided victory was predictable on Saturday in L.A. Thus, we can’t read too much into the sixth-round stoppage.

I’m comfortable in saying this, though: He looked like a star on national television, which is important for a fighter who sees himself as one of the most significant figures in the sport.

The gifted Garcia quickly overwhelmed his veteran opponent with his unusual speed, power and all-around ability, he put the Dominican down three times and he finally delivered a brutal stoppage in the sixth round.

The 23-year-old from the Southern California desert looked in that fight as if he could compete with anyone, including arch rival Gervonta Davis.

That’s exactly the kind of statement he hoped to make after a less-than-scintillating unanimous-decision victory over Emmanuel Tagoe in his previous fight, in April, his first since a 15-month layoff to deal with his mental health and injuries.

Garcia said to his rivals with his performance, “I’m a dominating fighter, not just a social media personality.”

The pay off is that he’s where he was after his sensational seventh-round knockout of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in January of last year, near the pinnacle of the sport and poised to take over at only 23 years old.

I can’t wait to see how “King Ry’s” career plays out. And I know I have a lot of company.

 

BAD

Making a showdown between Garcia and Gervonta Davis will be an uphill battle.

Garcia is handled by Golden Boy Promotions, which is aligned with DAZN and fiercely loyal to the streaming service. Davis is managed by Premier Boxing Champions, which is affiliated with Showtime.

Davis is more accomplished than Garcia and a almost certainly a bigger draw, meaning he and his partners would have more leverage in negotiations. If there’s an “A” said in this matchup, it’s Davis.

And President of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza has indicated that he has no interest in doing business with DAZN, which will demand a piece of the pie if Garcia and Davis end up sharing a ring.

“Look, I don’t think that we need two platforms in this. I don’t,” Espinoza said.

Garcia could be the key to reaching an agreement. Golden Boy is contractually bound to DAZN, Garcia evidently isn’t. That means Garcia can order Golden Boy to stand down and allow Showtime to showcase the fight.

Then there’s weight. Garcia is now a 140-pounder, he says; Davis’ last two fights were at lightweight and he seems comfortable there.

However, this shouldn’t be a significant obstacle. One, Davis fought once at 140, stopping Mario Barrios in 11 rounds in June of last year. And, two, they could also agree to fight at 138, give or take a pound.

Of course, there would be other points of contention, money being the most obvious one. The purses are key in any negotiations, though. Garcia and Davis should be able to get past that unless they make unreasonable demands, although many fighters have inflated views of their own value.

We can only hope the fighters and their handlers put ego and greed aside and focus on what the matchup would mean to the fighters and the sport. Then they might find common ground.

 

WORSE

Teofimo Lopez has a look of confidence as he has his hands wrapped in his dressing room.

Garcia vs. Davis is the fight fans want to see.

It simply doesn’t get better than matching two gifted, immensely powerful fighters who happen to be in or approaching their primes. The fact they have massive followings only adds to the excitement of the potential showdown.

If it doesn’t happen – and, again, the odds might be against it – loyal fans would be frustrated once again.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world, however. Garcia said that if he and Davis don’t reach an agreement, he’d like to face former undisputed 135-pound champion Teofimo Lopez in what would be a compelling matchup if Lopez beats Pedro Campa on Aug. 13.

Lopez also fights for a rival promoter, Top Rank, which has a deal with ESPN. However, Golden Boy and Top Rank might be able to work together more amicably than Golden Boy and PBC.

And there are several other good options for Garcia at 140, which is talent heavy at the top. Unified titleholder Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis and Jose Zepeda are all attractive opponents for Garcia.

And, of course, Garcia is an attractive opponent for them. He doesn’t hold a title but he has that large fan base and a big personality, which would help generate big profits for everyone involved.

The bottom line for Garcia: He has a lot of good options.

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Good, bad, worse: Could we actually see Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis?

Good, bad, worse: Could we actually see Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis?

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Ryan Garcia knocked out Javier Fortuna, not one of the titleholders or top contenders at or near his weight. A one-sided victory was predictable on Saturday in L.A. Thus, we can’t read too much into the sixth-round stoppage.

I’m comfortable in saying this, though: He looked like a star on national television, which is important for a fighter who sees himself as one of the most significant figures in the sport.

The gifted Garcia quickly overwhelmed his veteran opponent with his unusual speed, power and all-around ability, he put the Dominican down three times and he finally delivered a brutal stoppage in the sixth round.

The 23-year-old from the Southern California desert looked in that fight as if he could compete with anyone, including arch rival Gervonta Davis.

That’s exactly the kind of statement he hoped to make after a less-than-scintillating unanimous-decision victory over Emmanuel Tagoe in his previous fight, in April, his first since a 15-month layoff to deal with his mental health and injuries.

Garcia said to his rivals with his performance, “I’m a dominating fighter, not just a social media personality.”

The pay off is that he’s where he was after his sensational seventh-round knockout of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in January of last year, near the pinnacle of the sport and poised to take over at only 23 years old.

I can’t wait to see how “King Ry’s” career plays out. And I know I have a lot of company.

 

BAD

Making a showdown between Garcia and Gervonta Davis will be an uphill battle.

Garcia is handled by Golden Boy Promotions, which is aligned with DAZN and fiercely loyal to the streaming service. Davis is managed by Premier Boxing Champions, which is affiliated with Showtime.

Davis is more accomplished than Garcia and a almost certainly a bigger draw, meaning he and his partners would have more leverage in negotiations. If there’s an “A” said in this matchup, it’s Davis.

And President of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza has indicated that he has no interest in doing business with DAZN, which will demand a piece of the pie if Garcia and Davis end up sharing a ring.

“Look, I don’t think that we need two platforms in this. I don’t,” Espinoza said.

Garcia could be the key to reaching an agreement. Golden Boy is contractually bound to DAZN, Garcia evidently isn’t. That means Garcia can order Golden Boy to stand down and allow Showtime to showcase the fight.

Then there’s weight. Garcia is now a 140-pounder, he says; Davis’ last two fights were at lightweight and he seems comfortable there.

However, this shouldn’t be a significant obstacle. One, Davis fought once at 140, stopping Mario Barrios in 11 rounds in June of last year. And, two, they could also agree to fight at 138, give or take a pound.

Of course, there would be other points of contention, money being the most obvious one. The purses are key in any negotiations, though. Garcia and Davis should be able to get past that unless they make unreasonable demands, although many fighters have inflated views of their own value.

We can only hope the fighters and their handlers put ego and greed aside and focus on what the matchup would mean to the fighters and the sport. Then they might find common ground.

 

WORSE

Teofimo Lopez has a look of confidence as he has his hands wrapped in his dressing room.

Garcia vs. Davis is the fight fans want to see.

It simply doesn’t get better than matching two gifted, immensely powerful fighters who happen to be in or approaching their primes. The fact they have massive followings only adds to the excitement of the potential showdown.

If it doesn’t happen – and, again, the odds might be against it – loyal fans would be frustrated once again.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world, however. Garcia said that if he and Davis don’t reach an agreement, he’d like to face former undisputed 135-pound champion Teofimo Lopez in what would be a compelling matchup if Lopez beats Pedro Campa on Aug. 13.

Lopez also fights for a rival promoter, Top Rank, which has a deal with ESPN. However, Golden Boy and Top Rank might be able to work together more amicably than Golden Boy and PBC.

And there are several other good options for Garcia at 140, which is talent heavy at the top. Unified titleholder Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis and Jose Zepeda are all attractive opponents for Garcia.

And, of course, Garcia is an attractive opponent for them. He doesn’t hold a title but he has that large fan base and a big personality, which would help generate big profits for everyone involved.

The bottom line for Garcia: He has a lot of good options.

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Photos: Ryan Garcia’s spectacular sixth-round knockout of Javier Fortuna

Photos: Ryan Garcia’s spectacular sixth-round knockout of Javier Fortuna.

Ryan Garcia delivered a dominating performance against veteran Javier Fortuna on Saturday in Los Angeles, putting the Dominican down three times before stopping him in Round 6 of a 140-pound bout.

Here are images from the fight. All photos by John McKoy of Getty Images.

Ryan Garcia puts rivals on notice with brutal KO of Javier Fortuna

Ryan Garcia put his rivals on notice with a brutal sixth-round knockout of Javier Fortuna on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Ryan Garcia took care of business on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Now comes the hard part.

The lightweight contender dominated veteran Javier Fortuna at Crypto.com Arena, putting him down three times before stopping him 27 seconds into the sixth round of a junior welterweight bout.

It was the kind of statement Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) hoped to make, as he’s determined to face the best possible opponents at 135 pounds or possibly 140.

His dream opponent is fellow young star and 135-pound contender Gervonta Davis, against whom Garcia believes he can make a fortune and take a giant step toward superstardom.

Of course, the fight won’t be easy to make. Garcia is aligned with Golden Boy Promotions, Davis with Premier Boxing Champions. The fact these are not-so-friendly competing entities would make negotiations complicated.

Garcia made a strong case on Saturday that he has earned the right to face the best in the sport.

He needed 12 rounds to outpoint a reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe in April, his first fight after a 15-month break to deal with his mental health and injuries. He didn’t need half as long to finish off Fortuna, a former secondary 130-pound titleholder.

Garcia, 3½ inches taller than Fortuna, threw his quick, long jab and hard right hands that made the Dominican fighter reticent to throw many punches or take the risks necessary to get inside from the opening bell.

The beginning of the end came halfway through Round 4, when a left to the body hurt Fortuna and forced him to take a knee. After that, he was even more reluctant to engage Garcia.

Garcia decked Fortuna again in Round 5, this time the result of a left to the temple. And he added one final knockdown in Round 6, also from a left to the head that put his beaten opponent onto one knee.

Fortuna spit out his mouthpiece to indicate he was finished moments before referee Jerry Cantu counted him out.

The victory probably wasn’t as significant as Garcia’s seventh-round stoppage of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campell in January of last year given the 33-year-old Fortuna’s obvious limitations.

However, Garcia’s dominance over an experienced, well-known fighter who had been stopped only once before in his 13-year professional career added to the perception that the Southern California fighter is one of the hottest young figures in the sport.

Ryan Garcia puts rivals on notice with brutal KO of Javier Fortuna

Ryan Garcia put his rivals on notice with a brutal sixth-round knockout of Javier Fortuna on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Ryan Garcia took care of business on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Now comes the hard part.

The lightweight contender dominated veteran Javier Fortuna at Crypto.com Arena, putting him down three times before stopping him 27 seconds into the sixth round of a junior welterweight bout.

It was the kind of statement Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) hoped to make, as he’s determined to face the best possible opponents at 135 pounds or possibly 140.

His dream opponent is fellow young star and 135-pound contender Gervonta Davis, against whom Garcia believes he can make a fortune and take a giant step toward superstardom.

Of course, the fight won’t be easy to make. Garcia is aligned with Golden Boy Promotions, Davis with Premier Boxing Champions. The fact these are not-so-friendly competing entities would make negotiations complicated.

Garcia made a strong case on Saturday that he has earned the right to face the best in the sport.

He needed 12 rounds to outpoint a reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe in April, his first fight after a 15-month break to deal with his mental health and injuries. He didn’t need half as long to finish off Fortuna, a former secondary 130-pound titleholder.

Garcia, 3½ inches taller than Fortuna, threw his quick, long jab and hard right hands that made the Dominican fighter reticent to throw many punches or take the risks necessary to get inside from the opening bell.

The beginning of the end came halfway through Round 4, when a left to the body hurt Fortuna and forced him to take a knee. After that, he was even more reluctant to engage Garcia.

Garcia decked Fortuna again in Round 5, this time the result of a left to the temple. And he added one final knockdown in Round 6, also from a left to the head that put his beaten opponent onto one knee.

Fortuna spit out his mouthpiece to indicate he was finished moments before referee Jerry Cantu counted him out.

The victory probably wasn’t as significant as Garcia’s seventh-round stoppage of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campell in January of last year given the 33-year-old Fortuna’s obvious limitations.

However, Garcia’s dominance over an experienced, well-known fighter who had been stopped only once before in his 13-year professional career added to the perception that the Southern California fighter is one of the hottest young figures in the sport.

Oscar De La Hoya says Ryan Garcia ‘became a man’ on Saturday

Oscar De La Hoya said that Ryan Garcia ‘became a man’ in his victory over Luke Campbell on Saturday.

Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on DAZN.com.

***

Ryan Garcia’s seventh-round knockout of Luke Campbell on Saturday  convinced a lot of doubters that “King Ry” is a bona fide member of a stacked division.

The fact Garcia had to weather a surprising knockdown in Round 2 — the first of his career — made the victory over Campbell all the more impressive, although it gave his team a huge fright.

Oscar De La Hoya, Garcia’s promoter, admitted afterward that the shots his man sustained were as vital to his progress as the pulverizing shot to Campbell’s liver that won the contest.

“It was like a flash knockdown, right? But it was a scary flash knockdown,” De La Hoya said. “And he became a man. That’s all there is to it. He became a man tonight. He needed this fight for validation. He needed this fight to prove to the boxing world that he belongs in there. And he passed with flying colors.

“He did what every great champion does, get right back up, especially from a really vicious [left] hook, it was a vicious [left] hook.”

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So how did De La Hoya rate Garcia’s performance? “A-plus, A-plus,” he said. “He did what he had to do. He took his time, he went after him when he had him hurt in [the sixth round]. People went crazy, and that’s the making of a superstar.”

The victory made Garcia the mandatory challenger to Devin Haney’s secondary title. However. De La Hoya was careful not to commit to anything just yet.

“Yeah, we could possibly see that happen when we’re ready, when Ryan is ready,” De La Hoya said. “Obviously Ryan is ready to face anybody, that’s never a doubt. But it’s gonna be on our terms. …

“And it doesn’t mean business or this and that. No, when he’s ready, when he wants to. Every champion out there needs Ryan Garcia. It’s not the other way around.”

 

Oscar De La Hoya says Ryan Garcia ‘became a man’ on Saturday

Oscar De La Hoya said that Ryan Garcia ‘became a man’ in his victory over Luke Campbell on Saturday.

Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on DAZN.com.

***

Ryan Garcia’s seventh-round knockout of Luke Campbell on Saturday  convinced a lot of doubters that “King Ry” is a bona fide member of a stacked division.

The fact Garcia had to weather a surprising knockdown in Round 2 — the first of his career — made the victory over Campbell all the more impressive, although it gave his team a huge fright.

Oscar De La Hoya, Garcia’s promoter, admitted afterward that the shots his man sustained were as vital to his progress as the pulverizing shot to Campbell’s liver that won the contest.

“It was like a flash knockdown, right? But it was a scary flash knockdown,” De La Hoya said. “And he became a man. That’s all there is to it. He became a man tonight. He needed this fight for validation. He needed this fight to prove to the boxing world that he belongs in there. And he passed with flying colors.

“He did what every great champion does, get right back up, especially from a really vicious [left] hook, it was a vicious [left] hook.”

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So how did De La Hoya rate Garcia’s performance? “A-plus, A-plus,” he said. “He did what he had to do. He took his time, he went after him when he had him hurt in [the sixth round]. People went crazy, and that’s the making of a superstar.”

The victory made Garcia the mandatory challenger to Devin Haney’s secondary title. However. De La Hoya was careful not to commit to anything just yet.

“Yeah, we could possibly see that happen when we’re ready, when Ryan is ready,” De La Hoya said. “Obviously Ryan is ready to face anybody, that’s never a doubt. But it’s gonna be on our terms. …

“And it doesn’t mean business or this and that. No, when he’s ready, when he wants to. Every champion out there needs Ryan Garcia. It’s not the other way around.”

 

Luke Campbell: ‘That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with’

Luke Campbell said the body shot from Ryan Garcia that stopped him ‘was the hardest shot I was ever hit with.’

Want to know how hard Ryan Garcia’s body shot was on Saturday? Let the man who took the blow tell you.

Luke Campbell is a former Olympic champion who has faced a number of top professionals in his seven-plus-year career. And he had never encountered any quite like what he faced at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The Briton was stopped by a left hook to the gut at 1:58 of Round 7, the first time he hasn’t heard the final bell.

“He’s very heavy handed,” Campbell said. “Even when I was blocking the shots, I could feel them. That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming on, and I was moving back. And when I moved back, my body relaxed a little bit and that’s the exact time he hit me.”

Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs) has now lost the three biggest fights in his career, competitive decisions in titles fights against Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko and now the setback against Garcia.

And he’s 33 years old. You wonder how many more opportunities he will receive.

“I’m honestly heartbroken,” Campbell posted on Instagram. “I really wanted to bring the win back for you all. I’m sorry for that. I hope you all enjoyed the fight. Have to take my hat off to [Ryan Garcia], well done and a massive future ahead for him. I wish him all the best.”

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Luke Campbell: ‘That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with’

Luke Campbell said the body shot from Ryan Garcia that stopped him ‘was the hardest shot I was ever hit with.’

Want to know how hard Ryan Garcia’s body shot was on Saturday? Let the man who took the blow tell you.

Luke Campbell is a former Olympic champion who has faced a number of top professionals in his seven-plus-year career. And he had never encountered any quite like what he faced at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The Briton was stopped by a left hook to the gut at 1:58 of Round 7, the first time he hasn’t heard the final bell.

“He’s very heavy handed,” Campbell said. “Even when I was blocking the shots, I could feel them. That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming on, and I was moving back. And when I moved back, my body relaxed a little bit and that’s the exact time he hit me.”

Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs) has now lost the three biggest fights in his career, competitive decisions in titles fights against Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko and now the setback against Garcia.

And he’s 33 years old. You wonder how many more opportunities he will receive.

“I’m honestly heartbroken,” Campbell posted on Instagram. “I really wanted to bring the win back for you all. I’m sorry for that. I hope you all enjoyed the fight. Have to take my hat off to [Ryan Garcia], well done and a massive future ahead for him. I wish him all the best.”

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Watch it: Ryan Garcia’s knockout shot to Luke Campbell’s body

Watch it: Ryan Garcia’s knockout shot to Luke Campbell’s body.

Ryan Garcia needed just one well-placed punch to the body to stop Luke Cambell on Saturday in Dallas.

Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) landed the punch midway through Round 7 of their scheduled 12-round lightweight bout. Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs) was in too much pain to rise before the count of 10.

The official ending came at 1:58.

Garcia went down himself — the knockdown of his career — from a big left hand in the second round but overcame the adversity to record the biggest victory in his young career.

Here are the highlights:

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