Danny “Swift” Garcia returned in full force at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Saturday night when he knocked out gritty contender Adrian Granados in the seventh round.
Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs) and Granados (20-7-2, 14 KOs) were the main event of the PBC on FOX boxing card.
The fight started off at a measured pace by both. Granados was throwing a jab out there while trying to keep his distance, while Garcia was trying to find his timing early. Round number one ended as a feeling out round.
Round two is where the action began. Granados trying to keep his range and circle was caught with a vicious left hook that wobbled him and sent him to the canvas. He got up and Garcia was throwing heavy power punches hitting and hurting Granados when they did land clean. Granados was able to weather most of the shots until he got caught with a vicious right hand by Garcia that sent him on his butt.
Round three and four showed Granados fighting on heart. The tough Chicago native of Mexican heritage refused to back down after tasting the canvas multiple times as he continued to try to trade punches with Garcia but his punches looked slow and weak.
In Round five, Garcia dropped Granados for a third time, and the corner for Granados began to worry about their fighter with the referee Thomas Taylor keeping a watchful eye on the action.
Garcia looked too strong and none of Granados punches could hurt him. Round six was all Garcia as he kept throwing heavy leather on Granados hurting him.
Granados corner is concerned and keep telling their fighter he needs a knockout to win, the seventh round would be more of the same but Garcia throws multiple punches hurting Granados and the referee sees enough waving it off at 1:33 of round 7.
After the fight Garcia yelled “I’m Back!,” and was emotional as his daughter came into the ring.
The former two-divsion world champion said he wants rematches with Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman, but when the topic of WBA “regular” welterweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao came up, Garcia said he might have scared off Pacquiao.
Whether Garcia’s brutal TKO stoppage victory of a never been stopped Granados was enough to scare off the Filipino ring legend or not, he would still like a chance at a big money fight with Manny Pacquiao.
