Garcia backs up talk, TKO's Benn in second round to retain WBC title - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Ryan Garcia promised he would need five rounds or fewer to knock out Conor Benn. Garcia needed just two.

Garcia (26-0, 21 KOs) recorded his fastest knockout in six years, finishing Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) at 1:25 of the second round Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. Referee Thomas Taylor ruled the WBC welterweight championship fight a TKO victory for Garcia after Benn was left virtually defenseless by shots along the ropes.

It was Garcia's fastest win since he scored a first-round knockout of Francisco Fonseca in February 2020.

Garcia, 28, defended the WBC title he captured against Mario Barrios in February for the first time and immediately called for unification bouts against WBA champion Teofimo Lopez and WBO champion Devin Haney.

«Teofimo, get that ass up here,» Garcia told Lopez, who was in attendance. «We've got to clear this [division] out. I'll beat Devin Haney's ass again.»

Garcia's victory was a massive statement, and it took place in Benn's first appearance under the banner of Zuffa Boxing. Garcia remains under promotional contract with Oscar De La Hoyas' Golden Boy Promotions, but Saturday's event was funded and promoted by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, and Dana White's Zuffa Boxing. Garcia's future promotional moves and partnerships could become a story of its own in the coming years.

That's especially true after Saturday's superstar performance. Benn, of Essex, England, tried to pressure and get in Garcia's face early, but Benn quickly ran into trouble. Garcia stunned him multiple times with his patented left hook before dropping him with a right hand in the opening 20 seconds of the second round.

Benn stood back up after the knockdown, but never fully