Garcia crushes overmatched Benn in two rounds

Sincity Press Staff 1 hour ago 2 min read 4
Sincity Press Brief

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.

Earlier successful the evening, a moment's soundlessness was held earlier Monday's archetypal day of the decease of Ricky Hatton, the Manchester combatant who famously brought tens of thousands of British fans to Las Vegas during his career.

Benn's travelling enactment was acold much modest, with lone pockets of British fans disposable among the 18,855 assemblage astatine T-Mobile Arena.

Benn, dressed successful achromatic with a Union Jack carried down him, was greeted by a partition of boos arsenic helium made his mode towards the ringing alongside his begetter Nigel, who enjoyed 1 of his astir celebrated victories successful Las Vegas erstwhile helium stopped Iran Barkley wrong a circular successful 1990.

Garcia, who is of Mexican heritage, took considerably longer implicit his entrance, walking retired to mariachi euphony connected Mexican Independence Day weekend.

The opening circular played retired overmuch arsenic galore had predicted, with Benn aggressively coming guardant and Garcia looking to prime him disconnected connected the counter.

Garcia landed 2 crisp near hooks and, though Benn initially appeared to instrumentality the shots well, the champion soon began uncovering gaps arsenic the Briton charged into range.

A near hook, close manus and uppercut landed successful speedy succession arsenic Garcia's superior timing and accuracy became progressively apparent.

Retired three-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford was among those watching from ringside, alongside histrion Cuba Gooding Jr and WWE main Paul 'Triple H' Levesque.

The informing signs became adjacent clearer successful the 2nd erstwhile a near uppercut staggered Benn. Garcia's near hook had been wide considered his astir unsafe limb earlier the fight, but it was a close manus which yet sent Benn to the canvas.

Benn bushed the number but was a sitting people arsenic Garcia went backmost connected the attack, forcing the referee to measurement successful arsenic the challenger was pinned against the ropes.

Much of the build-up had centred connected whether Benn's instrumentality to 10st 7lb (67kg) would permission him drained, but with nary rehydration clause helium had looked considerably bigger by combat night.

In the end, it made small difference. There were immoderate suggestions ringside that the stoppage came early, with Benn inactive moving and trying to evade shots, but the referee was justified successful preventing further punishment.

The fighters embraced afterwards, but portion attraction rapidly switched to Garcia - who exchanged words with WBO champion Teofimo Lopez astatine ringside - Benn near the arena looking dejected.