Ryan Garcia was easily the better man he was eager to prove against Romero Duno as he put the fight with a knockout win in the first round of their WBC silver lightweight title match at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Garcia who was questioned of running away from Duno settled it once and for all with a stunning finish and now has a new clean record of 19 wins with 16 knockouts.
The popular Garcia also snatched Duno’s NABO 135-pound belt.
A right hand to the temple knocked Duno out who was supposed to give Garcia his hardest test in his young boxing career.
Garcia was all but hype after the win celebrating and proving his critics all wrong.
“I feel good. It’s kind of what I expected. All respect to Duno, he came to fight, he came in shape, he caught me with an overhand right and I took it and from there I knew I could keep taking them and keep coming at him. When I took his best shot, I knew alright, I got him. Everybody knows he has a big overhand right, he’s put a lot of people to sleep with that, and then when I took it, I thought – oh okay, that’s what it is. And I felt good from then,” he said.
The new champion sparred with Canelo Alvarez and was trained by the Reynoso brothers.
“I just want better competition, the more I step up. I’m only 21 and a lot of people forget that. But I’m going at my pace, whatever I feel I’m ready for, I’ll take on. Those fights down the line are huge fights, once my team feels I’m prepared. I’m always going to listen to my team.”
Duno suffered his second defeat on 21 wins.
