In a night filled with drama and unexpected turns, Ryan Garcia emerged victorious against Devin Haney in a stunning upset. The electrifying showdown between Haney and Garcia will be remembered for years to come.
The Buildup to the Fight
The Ring No. Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia, billed as This One Counts, was a professional boxing match contested in the super lightweight division between the WBC super lightweight champion, Devin Haney, and former WBC interim lightweight world champion, Ryan Garcia.
On February 9, 2024, it was announced that Haney vs. Garcia would take place. However, the fight was marred somewhat by an egregious weight miss. Garcia came in 3.2 pounds over the 140-pound limit for his bout with Haney, the reigning WBC super lightweight champion. Garcia later weighed in at 143.2lbs, 3.2lbs over the championship limit, and would forfeit up to $600,000 of his purse to Haney.
Key Moments of the Fight
From the very start, it was clear that Garcia came to the ring with a plan.
Full Fight | Ryan Garcia Vs Devin Haney: 12 Round Thriller (No Contest)
He rebounded well and won several rounds leading up to the seventh. This is when Garcia turned the tables, dropping Haney to the canvas with another decisive left hook. Haney came back strong in the ninth round. However, Garcia regained control in the 10th and continued his dominance into the 11th round.
Read also: Planning Your Ethiopia Trip
Here's a round-by-round breakdown of the key moments:
- Round 1: Garcia starts aggressively, delivering a powerful left hook that shakes Haney’s foundations.
- Round 4: Haney connects with a significant right hand, and after a brief period of inactivity, Garcia springs back into action.
- Round 7: Garcia connects with a left hook, knocking Haney down. The referee penalizes Garcia with a point deduction for a late hit after a clinch.
- Round 10: Haney is down once again after Garcia lands a strong right followed by a left.
- Round 11: Garcia lands a strong right followed by a left, knocking Haney down for the third time.
The fight ended with one judge scoring it a draw at 112-112, while the other two favoured Garcia with scores of 114-110 and 115-109. This victory improved Garcia’s record to 25-1, with his only loss to Gervonta Davis in April 2023.
Despite Garcia missing weight by more than three pounds and being unable to claim Haney’s WBC title at 140 pounds, his victory has sent shockwaves through the thrilling junior welterweight division.
Garcia out-landed Haney 106-87 in total punches and 95-45 in power punches. Garcia landed 41% of his power punches, while Haney's previous 10 opponents landed 25%.
Reactions and Analysis
After months of erratic behaviour and fans questioning his mental fitness, people hardly believed Ryan had what it took to compete, let alone win. “Come on guys, you really thought I was crazy?’’ said Garcia in an interview after the fight. “My left hook is my left hook."
Read also: Traveler's Guide: Guinea Time
Analyst Sergio Mora, a former world champion, said on the PPV broadcast, “Popularity doesn’t win fights. Skills and strategy do. Ryan Garcia’s got all of it. They needed to see heart, they needed to see courage, he needed to face adversity. He is sharp, he is powerful, he is resilient. Wow this sport never ceases to amaze me."
Aftermath and Future Prospects
Despite the loss, Haney kept his WBC world title because Garcia weighed in over the 140lbs limit by 3.2lbs. This fight should teach Haney about the unsustainability of Haney constantly cutting weight from his natural 160-170lbs to meet the super-lightweight limit.
Now, Haney faces a decision: should he stay at 140lbs to unify the title, or move up to welterweight? For Garcia, he has moved on and has already called out his next opponent after Devin Haney. Fundora stands with an impressive record of 21-1-1 record with 13 KOs while Garcia is one of the biggest names in the world of boxing.
Amidst the chaos, Garcia’s prowess and strategic mastery shone through. In a night filled with drama and unexpected turns, Ryan Garcia’s victory over Devin Haney not only defied predictions but also redefined his career trajectory.
Read also: Egypt During the Time of Jesus
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
