By: Sean Crose
Saturday night, it all fell apart. After one of the strangest headliner fights in recent memory, Devin Haney 31-0 and Ryan Garcia 24-1 finally fought at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. While Garcia really has no chance of capturing Haney’s WBC junior welterweight title (due to the fact that he was 3 pounds heavier at Friday’s official weigh-in), he could make all doubters must be silenced if he somehow delivers an upset victory. However, can he do it?
Garcia comes out with a quick jab in the first. Then, in what was clearly a shock to many, he rocked the much-loved Haney. Then he rocked Haney again. He then rocked Haney a third time. However, Haney was able to survive the round. A much more effective Haney worked his jab throughout the second round. Haney grabbed Garcia as they got close in the third round. He then rocks Garcia. Hard. However, like Haney, Garcia survived that point as well as the round.
Haney landed his own left hook in the fourth round while Garcia was able to score with a strong right. Garcia then moves around the ring avoiding his opponent until he has a chance to land a good shot. Haney continued to land the left hand in the fifth round while Garcia continued to move around the ring. However, just when things looked dire, Garcia managed to tag Haney back at the start of round six. In the following round, Garcia almost turned his back on Haney. As Garcia continued to move, the crowd booed.
Garcia dropped Haney again in the seventh round. Haney was able to get up but was seriously injured. Garcia made the kill, the referee stopped the action to deduct Garcia from his card for fighting on the break…. However, Garcia dropped Haney again, but somehow it was said to be a push or a miss. After surviving the round, Haney went on to have a better eighth place. The ninth scene saw Haney pound Garcia’s body with Garcia almost turned away from the action.
However, Garcia knocked out Haney again in round ten. Once again, Haney stood up. However, Garcia rocked Haney again in round ten. Garcia tagged Haney again in the eleventh round, dropping Haney again. Haney gets up again, but he’s taking a real beating. Clearly shaken, Haney struggled to hold on. The final round had a lot of holding. Garcia then began taunting Haney and performing as the round ended.
After the final bell, the judges ruled in Garcia’s favor via majority decision.
“Come on guys, do you really think I’m crazy?” Garcia asked in the post-fight interview. “You have lost your mind!”
He then began berating those who doubted him after weeks of odd behavior.
“You don’t love the truth,” he said. “The truth is before you.”
