Ryan Garcia survived a second-round knockdown & scored the biggest knockout of his career when he landed a left to the body that finished Luke Campbell in the seventh round of their WBC interim lightweight title fight on Saturday.
"I've never been dropped in my life," Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) said after the fight. "I got a little too excited about the moment. I wanted to crack him and he cracked me. I had to adjust. I knew I could beat him. I had to show everyone what a warrior is really like."
Garcia collected himself after the knockdown & then controlled the third and fourth rounds with superior hand speed & accuracy. The tide turned in the fifth when Garcia landed a trademark left hook in the final seconds that hurt Campbell badly.
In the seventh, Campbell was overly concerned with another hook landing; Garcia changed levels to sink a left hook into the 2012 Olympic gold medalist's midsection. Campbell sank to his knees after a delayed reaction & the referee reached the count of 10.
"He was very worried about that hook coming. He thought I was going up top and I changed direction real quick," a jubilant Garcia said after notching the biggest victory of his career. Not only did he survive the early scare, but he finished an opponent who had never been stopped before.
"I think I showed a lot of people who I really am," Garcia said. "They wanted to call me a social media star. You aren't who people tell you who you are, you are who you choose to be."
He made it clear who he wants to face next.
"I'm a man of my word; let's go, Tank," Garcia said, calling out Gervonta "Tank" Davis. "I really want to fight Tank. I fought an Olympic gold medalist. Linares and Lomachenko couldn't stop him and I did."
As WBC interim lightweight title, Garcia becomes the mandatory challenger to fellow rising star and WBC champion Devin Haney.
"Listen, I'll fight Devin Haney, too. What do the people want to see?" Garcia asked. #ryangarcia #lukecampbell #gervontadavis #tankdavis #devinhaney #jorgelinares #vasyllomachenko #teofimolopez #boxing #boxers #oscaredelahoya #goldenboypromotions #floydmayweather #mayweatherpromotions #themoneyteam #thesweetscience #thehurstbusiness #fight #fighters
Source: Sporting News
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