Ryan Garcia made his level emphatically tonight, stopping Conor Benn within the second spherical of their highly-anticipated welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.
Garcia retained his WBC welterweight title with the victory, making a profitable first protection of the belt he received earlier this yr.
Benn (25-2, 14 KO) and Garcia (26-2, 21 KO) each got here out with numerous tense power within the opening spherical, and regarded to do what they do finest, as Garcia needed to make use of his pace to snipe Benn whereas shifting round, hoping to bait an aggressive Benn into strolling onto a shot.
That occurred within the second spherical, as Garcia dropped Benn with a laser proper hand. It was clear that Benn’s legs have been just about gone, however he obtained up and tried to proceed on. Garcia wasn’t precisely sharpshooting, opting as a substitute for a flurry of pictures, and referee Thomas Taylor stepped in.
Zuffa commentator Max Kellerman and Andre Ward each argued that the stoppage was perhaps a bit early, particularly given Benn’s well-regarded toughness.
What did you consider the stoppage, and what did you consider Garcia’s efficiency? And that of Benn, for that matter?