About two minutes into the Lara-Garcia WBA middleweight title fight, the crowd began to express their frustration. Boos filled the arena and didn’t let up for the next eight rounds.
Danny Garcia Biography
| Name | Danny Garcia |
| Age | 36 years |
| Networth | $8 million |
| Country | American |
Lara successfully kept his WBA middleweight title for the third time.The fight, held at a 157-pound catchweight, saw Lara drop and stop Garcia in the ninth round, marking the first time Garcia has ever been stopped. This happened on the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga card in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,312 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Lara said, “My punches were really hurting him. The shot that ended the fight was huge. I think I boxed beautifully, like a piece of art, like Picasso. I shut down everything Danny tried. He’s an amazing fighter and a Hall of Famer, just like me.
I used my footwork and a long jab, just like we learn in Cuban boxing. I’m ready for the next challenge and still have a lot of fight left in me.”
According to CompuBox, Garcia only landed 33 punches, while Lara landed 63. Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) hit more with jabs than power punches (37 jabs, 26 power shots). However, his final power punch knocked Garcia down at the end of the ninth round.
This was Lara’s fourth win in a row by stoppage.
In their 18 rounds together, the 36-year-old Garcia and 41-year-old Lara only landed double-digit punches in four rounds.
Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) had just come back after a 26-month break, the longest of his career.
“It was clear.”
Danny Garcia said, “I’m okay. After two years off, I gave it my all, but tonight just wasn’t mine. No excuses. I didn’t expect the break to affect me so much, but it did. I couldn’t find my rhythm. Lara’s jab was strong, and he controlled the distance well.
“My dad (Angel) always has my best interest. I aimed for a third division title, but I fell short. I’ve been at the top for a long time, and I’ll take this loss like a true champion.”
Garcia then apologized to his fans and the crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
This fight was meant to be a tough challenge for Lara, ranked No. 4 by The Ring in the middleweight division. He agreed to face Garcia at a catchweight of 157 pounds, which was expected to be harder for Lara to cut down to than for Garcia to reach.
But it didn’t seem that way.”
The first round ended to boos, with Lara using his 7-inch reach advantage to poke at Garcia’s body, hoping to counter his punches.
By the end of the second round, Lara began pressing Garcia more, but the crowd still wasn’t impressed. The referee could be heard warning the fighters about their footwork. Lara’s few punches reddened Garcia’s face, while Garcia failed to land any of his eight thrown punches in the second.
In the third round, with just over a minute left, Lara landed the first solid punch of the fight. Fans, however, continued to boo the slow-paced match. Near the end, the referee informed officials that Garcia had suffered an accidental headbutt.
The fourth round was uneventful as well, and the fight was becoming dull for the audience. When Garcia returned to his corner, his father repeatedly asked if he was okay.
Midway through the fifth round, Garcia hesitated, throwing a quick combination but unsure of himself. He seemed lost while Lara kept landing small jabs, doing just a bit more than Garcia, who remained inactive.
By the end of the fifth, it was clear Lara was winning easily.
After the sixth round, Garcia’s father, Angel, noticed something was wrong and kept asking if he was okay. Sensing the fight slipping away, Garcia’s corner urged him to push Lara and fight harder. But Garcia just stood there, looking like the fight had left him.
Lara stayed outside, jabbing and keeping the fight slow, while the crowd grew bored, waiting for the main event.
In the final seconds of the ninth round, Lara landed a jab that knocked Garcia down for the first—and possibly last—time in his career.
When Garcia returned to his corner, his father signaled that it was over. When asked about Danny’s future, Angel said it was up to him, and he’d support whatever decision Danny made.
With financial stability and other business ventures, retirement might be a good option for the future hall-of-famer.
FAQS
Danny Garcia is American.
Yes, Danny Garcia has a brother named Jose “Sniper” Garcia.
Danny Garcia is not related to Robert Garcia, who is a trainer and former boxer.
Zab Judah was 34 years old when he fought Danny Garcia.
