LAS VEGAS — Ryan Garcia made a statement in his first defense of the WBC welterweight title, stopping Conor Benn by TKO at 1:25 of the second round Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
Garcia controlled the action from the opening bell, using his superior speed, timing and explosiveness to neutralize Benn’s aggressive pressure.
Although Benn rehydrated to more than 170 pounds and significantly outweighed the 151-pound Garcia on fight night, the British contender struggled to deal with the power and hand speed of the popular social media star-turned-boxing attraction.
Garcia stunned Benn several times in the opening round with his signature left hook before finishing the fight early in the second.
A clean overhand right dropped Benn early in Round 2. Benn beat the count, but he was visibly unsteady on his feet. Garcia immediately swarmed his wounded opponent, trapping him against the ropes and unloading a barrage of punches until referee Thomas Taylor stepped in and waved off the contest.
Watch the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn Zuffa Boxing Fight Highlights and TKO stoppage
With the victory, Garcia improved to 26-2 with 21 knockouts. Benn dropped to 25-2 with 14 KOs in his first world title opportunity and his first fight at 147 pounds in more than four years.
The weight cut appeared to take a toll on Benn, who looked flat throughout the fight and lacked the physical strength and muscle definition he displayed when he moved up to 160 pounds for his bout with Chris Eubank Jr.
Benn now faces some important decisions regarding the direction of his career. If making the welterweight limit continues to take this much out of him, a move to 154 pounds or potentially even 160 could be the best option for the British star.
Garcia, meanwhile, made it clear after the fight that he considers welterweight to be his division. He immediately called for a unification showdown with WBA champion Teofimo Lopez, while also leaving the door open for a rematch with Devin Haney.
More importantly, Garcia showed a different level of aggression and urgency in the ring. If he continues fighting with this kind of offensive mindset – hurting opponents and immediately going for the finish – he has the potential to become one of the biggest stars in boxing.
Casual fans have always gravitated toward explosive punchers and offensive-minded fighters. It was one of the reasons Mike Tyson became a global superstar, while Manny Pacquiao built a massive following with his relentless attack and willingness to engage.
Garcia has many of the same qualities that can turn an elite fighter into a major attraction. His speed, power, personality and growing fan base give him the ingredients to become one of boxing’s biggest draws if he continues producing performances like this.
On a high-profile night in Las Vegas, “King Ry” delivered a dominant and efficient performance and may have taken another major step toward becoming the sport’s next crossover superstar.
Muki is a long time boxing fan and enjoys Mixed Martial Arts. He has been writing boxing articles since he was a teen and his favorite fighters of the past are Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Prince Naseem Hamed. Favorite MMA fighters are Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko.