'Everyone warned Garcia not to take this fight, but...': "King Ry" against american most effective light weight puncher and top ranked athlete Gervonta Davis with nickname "Tank" 

Gervonta Davis knocks out Ryan Garcia with body shot in 7th

Garcia remained on his feet before backing up a few steps. Then he went to his right knee, and suddenly a highly anticipated boxing match was over, the lightweight bout ending at 1:44 of the seventh round Saturday night.

“I didn’t think that body shot would end it, but I saw his facial expression and that’s what made me take it to him,” Davis said. “It was a good shot, for sure. I thought he was going to get up, but I like to play mind games, so when he was looking at me, I was looking at him trying to tell him, ‘Get up!’ He just shook his head, ‘No.’”

Davis improved to 29-0, with all but two of his victories by knockout. It was the first defeat for Garcia, who won 19 of his first 23 fights by KO.

Davis also sent Garcia to the mat with a roundhouse left in the second round, and spent most of the rest of the fight working the body. The strategy worked for Davis, a 28-year-old from Baltimore who put himself in position to succeed Canelo Alvarez as the face of the sport.

“I’m definitely the face of boxing,” Davis said.

Garcia, a 24-year-old who lives in Los Angeles, did manage to land two sharp rights to Davis’ face in the sixth round. But then Tank Davis came back in the seventh with a left that put Garcia on the mat for the second time and prompted referee Thomas Taylor to call the bout.

“He caught me with a good shot, and I just couldn’t recover,” Garcia said. “He caught me with a good body shot, snuck under me and caught me good.

“I couldn’t breathe. I was going to get back up, but I just couldn’t get up.”

This fight between lightweight challengers had the feel of a big-time event, attracting celebrities such as Julius Erving, Damian Lillard and Mark Walhberg, as well as former champs Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Manny Pacquiao. A sold-out crowd of 20,842 showed up, with Davis owning roughly a 60-40 split of the support.

“Everything about this was exciting,” Davis said. “I was excited to be a part of this event. I remember coming up in the Golden Gloves and seeing Floyd (Mayweather Jr.) fight at the MGM. It was crazy. I actually just saw Rihanna perform at the Super Bowl, and I thought that’s going to be me one day, and we’re here.”

What kind of lasting impact this fight will have on the sport beyond Saturday remains to be seen, but both fighters — even as they bickered all week — recognized its importance when they agreed to fight. They are two boxers in their prime willing to take on each other rather than carefully choose other opponents to enhance their resumes.

They also are represented by rival promoters. Mayweather Promotions represents Davis, and Golden Boy Promotions handles Garcia.

Even the promoters argued before the fight, with Golden Boy’s Oscar De La Hoya claiming Mayweather’s Leonard Ellerbe and his camp protected Davis by insisting certain clauses be written into the contract. Ellerbe shot back that as the dominant side, they had the right to ask for certain stipulations.

“I know we talked a lot of trash leading into the fight, but (Davis) knows what it is,” Garcia said. “It’s all love at the end of the day. I was honored to be in the ring with a great fighter and I respect him a lot.”

Davis, at minus-250 at FanDuel Sportsbook, was a substantial betting favorite.

Davis’ victory could set up a showdown with undefeated Devin Haney, who owns all four major championship belts in the division. Haney faces former champ Vasiliy Lomachenko in May, also in Las Vegas.

In the co-main event, David Morrell Jr. made quick work of Yamaguchi Falcao, knocking him out at 2:22 of the first round to retain his WBA super middleweight championship. Morrell improved to 9-0, with all but one of his fights by KO. Falcao, who remained on the canvass for about three minutes, is 24-2-1.

Morrell called this “the best moment of my career” and said he wants to take on two-time WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez.

“I don’t want any other guys at 168 pounds, just Benavidez,” Morrell said. “I respect Benavidez and his team, but inside the ring, I don’t respect nothing.”

MUST WATCH - Even Tyson Was Shocked... How an Australian Boxer STOPPED the INVINCIBLE Zab Judah! 

In this episode, I'm gonna show you the sickest fight and the epitome of knockout prowess by Kostya #Tszyu Alright, fight fans, buckle up because we're diving into one of the most epic showdowns in boxing history ( #ZabJudah ), so don't forget to smash that like button and subscribe.

In this episode, we witnessed a historic boxing match that took place on November 3, 2001, in the welterweight division, where three championship belts were on the line. The showdown featured the WBC and WBA world champion, 32-year-old Kostya Tszyu, against the IBF champion, 24-year-old Zab Judah.

Before delving into the epic fight, it's essential to understand the background of these two warriors. Kostya Tszyu, after a devastating defeat in 1997, worked hard to reclaim his championship status. In 1998, he secured the WBC title with a victory over Diosbelys Hurtado. The year 2001 marked a triumphant period for Tszyu, including a knockout victory over Sharmba Mitchell, earning him the WBA title.

The stage was set for a unification bout against Zab Judah, who, at 24, was charismatic, undefeated, and held the IBF title. The fight was monumental, aiming to determine the undisputed world champion in the junior welterweight division—a rare occurrence in boxing history.

Leading up to the fight, both fighters faced different opponents on the same night, setting the stage for the unification bout. Judah's impressive victory against Allan Vester increased the hype, making him the favorite.

The fight itself was intense from the beginning. Judah, known for his youth, speed, and knockout power, showcased his skills, landing a left hook that staggered Tszyu in the first round. However, Tszyu, known for his right hand, remained resilient.

As the rounds progressed, Tszyu strategically targeted Judah's jaw. In the second round, Tszyu cleverly set a trap, throwing a left-right combination that caught Judah off guard. The right hand landed directly on Judah's jaw, causing him to collapse onto the canvas.

The referee swiftly intervened, stopping the fight and declaring Tszyu the winner. However, controversy ensued as Judah vehemently protested the stoppage, leading to a chaotic post-fight scene where he confronted the referee and attempted to throw a stool.

Judah's emotional outburst resulted in a suspension from the ring for six months and a $75,000 fine. Despite the dispute over the stoppage, Tszyu solidified his victory and etched his name in boxing history as the first undisputed world champion in nearly 30 years in the junior welterweight division.

In the aftermath, the fight generated significant attention and discussions in the press, with Tszyu emerging as the deserving winner and undisputed champion. The match will be remembered not only for its historic significance but also for the emotions and controversies that followed the explosive knockout.