Gervonta Davis wins grudge match against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas

PA Sport Staff

Gervonta Davis maintained his perfect professional record by handing Ryan Garcia his first defeat in their much-anticipated 136lb catchweight grudge fight in Las Vegas.

Davis, who has held world titles in three weight classes, dropped his fellow American in the second round at the T-Mobile Arena with a counter left hook having absorbed Garcia’s power moments earlier.

The taller and rangier Garcia got back to his feet and was in the fight until being caught with a short, savage left to the ribs in the seventh, which saw the Californian’s demeanour noticeably change.

He tried to shrug off the blow and even pawed out a jab but buckled to one knee, where he stayed as referee Thomas Taylor administered the 10-count before waving off the fight as Davis celebrated.

“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,” said Davis (now 29-0, 27KOs).

“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 could now set his sights on the winner of Devin Haney-Vasyl Lomachenko, who clash for the former’s WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight titles next month.

“I just couldn’t recover,” said former WBC interim lightweight champion Garcia (23-1, 19KOs).

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