Image source, Getty ImagesRyan Garcia (left) was making the first defence of his WBC welterweight title
ByKal SajadBBC Sport boxing journalist at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Ryan Garcia crushed Briton Conor Benn with a ruthless second-round stoppage to retain his WBC welterweight crown in a world title mismatch in Las Vegas.
The American dominated from the opening bell, repeatedly punishing Benn as the 29-year-old charged forward with a wild and increasingly desperate approach.
Benn was dropped by a flush right hook in round two but managed to beat the count. before Garcia continued the onslaught with Benn backed against the ropes until the referee stepped in.
“I knew he would bring the pressure, I felt the shots and though ‘I’ll let him have his way’, but I knew his was reckless and you can’t do that with me,” Garcia told DAZN.
“147lb is my division. I’m here, you can trust me as a champion.”
It was a sobering – and, for many in the sport, unsurprising – conclusion to the biggest night of Benn’s life in boxing.
Few gave the Essex fighter much chance, with Benn, who fell to the second defeat of his 10-year professional career, having never faced an opponent of Garcia’s calibre and some questioning whether he had done enough to earn a world title shot in the first place.
Benn was fighting at welterweight for the first time in more than four years and had already said this would be his final appearance in the division, regardless of the result.
Garcia, 28, stayed true to his promise to stop Benn inside five rounds as he made a successful first defence of the title with his 26th win from 28 professional contests.
Image source, Zuffa BoxingConor Benn made his professional debut in 2016
Earlier in the evening, a moment’s silence was held before Monday’s first anniversary of the death of Ricky Hatton, the Manchester fighter who famously brought tens of thousands of British fans to Las Vegas during his career.
Benn’s travelling support was far more modest, with only pockets of British fans visible among the 18,855 crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
Benn, dressed in black with a Union Jack carried behind him, was greeted by a wall of boos as he made his way towards the ring alongside his father Nigel, who enjoyed one of his most famous victories in Las Vegas when he stopped Iran Barkley inside a round in 1990.
Garcia, who is of Mexican heritage, took considerably longer over his entrance, walking out to mariachi music on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
The opening round played out much as many had predicted, with Benn aggressively coming forward and Garcia looking to pick him off on the counter.
Garcia landed two sharp left hooks and, although Benn initially appeared to take the shots well, the champion soon began finding gaps as the Briton charged into range.
A left hook, right hand and uppercut landed in quick succession as Garcia’s superior timing and accuracy became increasingly apparent.
Retired three-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford was among those watching from ringside, alongside actor Cuba Gooding Jr and WWE chief Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.
The warning signs became even clearer in the second when a left uppercut staggered Benn. Garcia’s left hook had been widely considered his most dangerous weapon before the fight, but it was a right hand which eventually sent Benn to the canvas.
Benn beat the count but was a sitting target as Garcia went back on the attack, forcing the referee to step in as the challenger was pinned against the ropes.
Much of the build-up had centred on whether Benn’s return to 10st 7lb (67kg) would leave him drained, but with no rehydration clause he had looked considerably bigger by fight night.
In the end, it made little difference. There were some suggestions ringside that the stoppage came early, with Benn still moving and trying to evade shots, but the referee was justified in preventing further punishment.
The fighters embraced afterwards, but while attention quickly switched to Garcia – who exchanged words with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez at ringside – Benn left the arena looking dejected.
Image source, Getty ImagesConor Benn was in his first world title fight
Benn entered as the WBC’s number-one contender but the manner of the defeat will inevitably strengthen the argument that he was not ready for a world-title shot.
He turned professional with limited amateur experience, bypassed the traditional British, Commonwealth and European title path and built much of his reputation fighting against ageing former champions.
Benn’s commercial appeal may have taken a hit, but he remains one of British boxing’s most recognisable fighters and, as a prominent signing to Zuffa Boxing, there will still be opportunities.
He has not ruled out a trilogy fight with Chris Eubank Jr and it will be interesting to see whether he immediately chases another lucrative name or takes a more measured route back towards a world-title opportunity.
Boxing can produce shocks, but Garcia’s superior amateur pedigree, greater experience at the highest level and natural talent were, as many predicted, simply too much for Benn.
