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» » Ryan Garcia has helped turn the lightweight ranks into the most exciting division in boxing - DAZN News US

Ryan Garcia has helped turn the lightweight ranks into the most exciting division in boxing - DAZN News US

With one thunderous left hook, Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) formally announced his arrival as a legitimate threat in boxing and has turned the 135-pound division into the most exciting in the sport.

For the past couple of years, there were questions surrounding whether the 2017 ESPN prospect of the year was more than a pretty face with a massive presence on social media. Two fights and two minutes, 58 seconds of total ring time against solid opposition later, those inquiries were answered. On Nov. 2, Garcia silenced skeptics with a blink-and-you-missed-it left hook that wrecked Romero Duno’s equilibrium and earned him a first-round knockout.

For an encore, KingRy faced the durable Francisco Fonseca in the main event of his first headlining card at the Honda Center live and exclusively on DAZN. He was an opponent who had only lost to world champions Tevin Farmer (UD12) and Gervonta Davis (KO8). Garcia set out to prove a point that he wasn’t just a social media superstar with a magnetic smile: He cut loose a hellacious left hook that had Fonseca making a pain angel in the middle of the ring as the referee immediately waved the fight off, earning the 21-year-old his second consecutive first-round knockout.

Social media was set ablaze by the wickedness of the knockout as it appeared the referee checked the pulse of Fonseca while the Nicaraguan was spread out on the canvas. Less than 12 hours following the victory, video of the knockout has amassed over one million views on YouTube. A bevy of celebrities ranging from Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to YouTube celebrity brothers Logan and Jake Paul stood in amazement at ringside as the arena erupted in astonishment.

Considering that it took Gervonta Davis eight rounds to get that result, Garcia was able to use Fonseca as a measuring stick for his place in a lightweight division that is absolutely boiling over with talent.

And with his superb combination of supermodel looks and menacing power, Garcia has made the 135-pound division easily the most exciting in boxing. As a cherry on top of the boxing sundae, a majority of the top fighters in that division — Garcia (21), Teofimo Lopez (22), Davis (25) and Devin Haney (21) — are 25 and under. Not to mention, arguably the king of boxing sits on his lofty perch atop the division as Vasiliy Lomachenko now has plenty of competition nipping at his heels.

To make this all the more exciting, Garcia, Haney (24-0, 15 KOs), Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) and Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) have showed a willingness to fight one another to prove who the best of the youth movement really is. IBF lightweight champion Lopez reportedly has a date set with WBA and WBO champion Lomachenko to unify the titles this spring. WBC “champion in recess” Devin Haney stepped in the ring after Garcia’s scintillating knockout to challenge his rival in the amateurs to a clash while also setting his sights on everyone from Adrien Broner to Mikey Garcia. None of these fighters has used the phrasing “let the fight build” and are ready to settle their differences inside of a boxing ring sooner rather than later.

Not only that, all of the aforementioned names have built a strong following on social media and have demonstrated the ability to connect with a new generation of boxing fans. Whether it's Teofimo Lopez’ post-fight celebratory antics that go viral or Garcia’s ridiculous following (just a shade under five million followers on Instagram), the future of boxing is established.

Going back to Garcia’s knockout — it was far from a fluke. Ever since the product from Victorville decided to become a student of Canelo Alvarez’ trainer, Eddy Reynoso, Garcia has demonstrated exponential improvement despite having only clocked a grand total of nine rounds in four fights with his new teacher. After struggling against Carlos Morales to a majority decision in September 2018, questions regarding whether the hype was real soon followed. But he has answered those questions in emphatic fashion with a booming knockout of Braulio Rodriguez, a vicious drubbing of Jose Lopez and back to back first round knockouts of Duno and Fonseca.

A closer look at Garcia’s knockout demonstrates a particular poise to set traps that he hadn’t truly showcased before. After connecting with a left hook early in the fight, Garcia immediately sensed that Fonseca was looking to establish himself offensively. Garcia would paw with the jab as Fonseca inched closer in an attempt to land an overhand right. In a brilliant baiting tactic, Garcia stopped moving his feet and covered up, which gave Fonseca the false sense that he could roll in with the same overhand right. In the blink of an eye, Garcia dropped his left hand and timed the hook perfectly that Fonseca never saw coming. It was a tactic that was practiced for weeks leading up to the fight and executed to a tee.

Questions still remain for all of the talent at 135 pounds. We still aren’t quite sure what happens when Davis, Lopez, Haney and Garcia are forced to deal with adversity against a quality opponent with punching power. Each has exceptional wins against solid opposition but — with the exception of Lopez mauling Richard Commey in two rounds last December — none has faced a top-five opponent.

But that’s the beauty of it all: This youth movement has fans backing each of them and ready to debate on social media why their guy will emerge as the cream of the crop. And there’s just as many who see Lomachenko feasting on the children as they attempt to knock the king of the mountain off his throne.

In no other division will you find this combination of youth, power and potential with the king of the division being arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the entire sport.

It’s a good time to be a boxing fan, and an even better time for a new generation to get acclimated to the sport thanks to the likes of Garcia, Haney, Davis, Lopez and Lomachenko.

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February 16, 2020 at 01:04AM
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Ryan Garcia has helped turn the lightweight ranks into the most exciting division in boxing - DAZN News US
"exciting" - Google News
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