Danny Garcia (38-4, 22 KO) ended his career on a positive note, defeating the much smaller Daniel “El Gallo” Gonzalez (22-5-1, 7 KO) in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-round fight that took place on Saturday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Recent York.
Gonzalez never had a chance
Garcia, 37, followed the much smaller Gonzalez around the ring, hitting him with a right hand in the first round. In the fourth round, Danny “Swift” caught up with Gonzalez and dropped him with his trademark left hook.
Gonzalez tried to get up but fell. This left the referee with no choice but to stop the fight.
Danny was missing a lot of shots, hitting the air, and looked leisurely. It’s understandable why he seemed so rusty because he rarely fought. Since 2019, Garcia has fought just six times.
The fans gathered at ringside at the Barclays Center were pleased with what they saw. They came to see former two-division world champion Garcia end his career by knockout, and he did it.
A cushioned opponent for the farewell show
It would have been nicer if a better opponent had been chosen for Danny Garcia’s farewell fight, because it wasn’t even sportsmanlike. Gonzalez looked too tiny to be in the same ring as Garcia. It wasn’t a fair fight.
“I know I hurt him in the first round, but my timing was a little off,” Garcia said after the competition. “So I decided to work on my jab and I knew when he stopped his legs I would catch him. I just took it round by round. I didn’t underestimate him. He was in great shape. My dad told me to just stick to the game plan.”
Danny was never a great player, even when his career was at its peak from 2014-2017. It’s demanding to imagine Garcia staying retired, as he could still earn a nice salary if he stays dynamic.
Garcia was returning from a 13-month break following a ninth-round loss to Erislandy Lara on September 14, 2024.
Battle card:
Danny Garcia stopped Danny Gonzalez in the fourth round via KO.
Dominique Crowder defeated Fernando Diaz by unanimous decision (100-90, 98-92, 100-90).
Damian Knyba defeated Joey Dawejko in the seventh round by TKO.
Gabriel Rosado defeated Vaughn Alexander by unanimous decision (79-73, 80-72, 79-73).
Chris Colbert defeated Blas Ezequiel Caro by unanimous decision (78-73, 77-74, 80-71).
Reshat Mati defeated Jose Angulo by majority decision (76-76, 77-75, 77-75).
Mathew Gonzalez defeated Wilfredo Flores by decision (76-75, 76-75, 77-74).
Avtandil Khurtsidze and Andres Martinez fought to a majority draw (59-55, 57-57, 57-57).
Keith Colon Rodriguez defeated David Calabro in the third round by TKO.
Cristian Cangelosi defeated Victoriano Antonio Santillana by unanimous decision (79-73, 77-75, 78-74).
Quincey Williams stopped Christopher Rodriguez in the second round via TKO.
Dan Ambrose was the main voice in Boxing News 24 known for years for its sensible approach to sport. You can love him or hate him. Dan has developed a mighty fan base for his truthful analysis, direct opinions and in-depth coverage of the global boxing scene.
His articles often spark discussions among fans because he is not afraid to challenge popular narratives or question players’ performances. In addition to opinions, Dan provides fight news, previews, and post-fight analysis that provide readers with both detail and perspective.
Devin Haney Promotions says a rematch with Ryan Garcia is scheduled for September 5 at Allegiant Stadium, potentially setting the stage for the rivalry to resume later this year.
The claim appeared on social media from Haney’s promotional website, pointing to a second meeting on the same card in Las Vegas two weeks before Floyd Mayweather’s Sept. 19 rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
If the date holds, the fight will bring the two rivals together again more than two years after their cluttered first meeting in April 2024.
In that fight, Garcia scored multiple knockdowns en route to a decision victory, which was later ruled a no contest after testing positive for Ostarine.
Haney has since returned to form and won the WBO welterweight title with a decision victory over Brian Norman Jr.
Garcia vs. Haney II
Despite the controversy surrounding the original result, the demand for a rematch never went away.
Few in boxing doubt that the Garcia vs. Haney II would make the most sense next. Both fighters currently hold world titles, which means that if the fight goes ahead, the rivalry will develop into a welterweight unification.
The matchup has been the focus of the most significant conversations in the division in recent months.
As World Boxing News reported earlier this month, the welterweight title picture around Garcia and Haney has gradually narrowed as other options narrowed due to mandatory obligations and injuries.
Garcia has also been outspoken about a possible fight with Shakur Stevenson, and Haney has been linked to talks with Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
However, these moves could easily be considered a smokescreen if both sides are focused on a rematch.
Cris Esqueda | Golden Boy
Unfinished business
Garcia, the WBC champion after a convincing victory over Mario Barrios, would likely enter the rematch as the favorite despite losses from the first meeting.
The Recent York State Athletic Commission later changed the result to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive, but the way he repeatedly dropped Haney in the fight still affects how many people will see the second fight.
In his conversation with him, Romero also bluntly assessed the competition The Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer.
“They could have fought a hundred times. Ryan takes him down a hundred times.”
This view may be extreme, but it underscores a broader sense that this rivalry is still unresolved.
With Haney Promotions now pointing to September 5 at Allegiant Stadium, the spotlight is back on Garcia vs. Haney II, which makes the most sense for both men right now.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Because Crawford’s retirement means a rematch for Canelo, he has announced his return for a September event in Saudi Arabia, a fight that boxing broker Turki Alalshikh says will result in a world title shot.
IN interview with Bowks talking about BoutsChristian Mbilli – who was promoted from interim to full champion when Crawford was stripped of the belt – made it clear he wanted to be the fighter on the opposite side.
“For me, my goal now is to fight Canelo because I was [the] perennial WBC number one contender. Number one fighter, number one in the WBC for Canelo. Now I have to show that I am number one in the division.
Mbilli fought on the Canelo–Crawford undercard, drawing with Crawford’s stablemate Lester Martinez to retain the belt. The Cameroon-born Frenchman said in the same interview that he intended to have a rematch with Martinez in the future.
The fight with Alvarez has no obstacles, but there is a lot of weight behind it: Turki Alalshikh, Canelo’s good position in the WBC and his number one ranking, and this is undoubtedly the most lucrative option for Mbilla. If a Mexican wants to prove himself, he has the opportunity to do so.
Sources close to the situation told ESPN on Wednesday that undefeated IBF heavyweight title qualifier Richard Torrez Jr. against Frank Sanchez on March 28, will be sidelined after Sanchez’s injury.
Torrez Jr. (14-0, 12 KO) was scheduled to face Sanchez (27-1, 18 KO, 1 No Contest) in the PPV opener of Sebastian Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title defense against Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. However, Cuban Sanchez was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury. Sources tell ESPN that inflammation of Sanchez’s surgically repaired right knee will force the fight to be postponed to a later date.
Torrez Jr. and Sanchez are ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively, in ESPN’s heavyweight rankings. The winner would become the mandatory challenger to the title of Aleksander Usyk, who currently holds the IBF, WBC and WBA titles.
Usyk will put his WBC title on the line against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. Usyk recently stated that he has three fights left before he calls it a career, and the winner of Torrez and Sanchez is not on his list.
“Listen, Rico [Verhoeven] this is the first. Secondly, who will win, [WBO champion Fabio] Wardley or [Daniel] Dubois and the third fight is my friend, the greedy belly Tyson Fury,” Usyk told Inside the Ring.
Torrez Jr. beat Tomas Salk last November, and Sanchez defeated Ramon Olivas Echeverria via third-round TKO in February.
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