Ryan Garcia proved himself worthy of the hype.
Garcia survived an early knockdown and took a stunning, technical knockout victory over Luke Campbell in the seventh round on Saturday night.
In front of about 6,000 fans at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Garcia won the interim WBC lightweight title with a left hook to the body that left Campbell to his knees. Campbell tried to get up towards the end of the count, but referee Laurence Cole waved off the fight to give Garcia the TKO win.
For most of his career, Garcia (21-0, 18 KO’s), 22, has been known for his social media followers who have eclipsed his ring credentials. With the win, he showed that he was more than an internet sensation.
‘You’re not who people tell you [you] are, ”Garcia said in his post-fight interview on DAZN. You are who you want to be. And I chose to become champion tonight. I wouldn’t let anything stop me. “
Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs), a former title challenger and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, was heralded as the toughest test of Garcia’s young career, and the British boxer did just that.
In the second round, Campbell dropped Garcia with a looped left hook that caught him on the chin. Garcia said it was the first time he had been knocked down in his career.
“I think I got a little too excited at that point,” said Garcia, who was worn in the ring while sitting on a throne wearing a gold crown.
But “King Ry” reacted in the third round, regained his position and nearly ended the fight in the fifth. Garcia hit Campbell with a left hook at the bell that rocked Campbell in the ropes. Two rounds later, Garcia took the most important win of his career.
Campbell had never stopped in his professional career, even in title fights against Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jorge Linares. Garcia and Campbell both noticed after Saturday’s game.
“That was the hardest shot I’ve ever hit,” said Campbell. “I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming and I moved back, and when you got back, my body relaxed a little, and that’s exactly when he hit me.”
Garcia added, “Today I showed that I am special.”
Campbell agreed, saying in a retrospective tweet about Garcia, “Well done and a great future for him. I wish him all the best.”
Garcia joined the young, promising fighters in the lightweight division. Teofimo Lopez, 23, won three of four tires in the 135-pound division when he beat Lomachenko in October 2019. Devin Haney, 22, has the WBC’s highest tire.
But the fighter Garcia said he wants the most is Gervonta “Tank” Davis, 26, who holds onto one of the WBA’s secondary ties and takes an impressive victory over Leo Santa Cruz in October.
“I really want to be a man of my word,” Garcia said. “I really want to fight Tank. I know people are concerned about it [happening], but I’m ready. “