Ryan Garcia arrived in Instances Sq. in a Batmobile, hoping to appear to be a superhero in his return to boxing.
Minutes later, he was damage and on the canvas, trying up on the billboards and shiny lights on the marquees surrounding the ring after being knocked down by Rolando “Rolly” Romero’s crushing left hand within the second spherical.
Wham! Pow!
Romero went on to beat Garcia by unanimous determination Friday night time, a stunning end to an evening of boxing like none different.
“Just Rolly’s night,” Garcia mentioned. “He fought a good fight. Caught me early.”
Instances Sq. was the setting for Garcia’s first struggle since he was suspended for a yr after testing constructive for performance-enhancing medication in his victory over Devin Haney that was later overturned and dominated a no contest.
The plan was for Garcia and Haney to maneuver on to a rematch in the event that they each gained Friday, however solely Haney held up his finish of the discount.
He beat Jose Ramirez by unanimous determination in a matchup of former 140-pound champions, after Teofimo Lopez defended his junior welterweight title with a unanimous determination victory over Arnold Barboza Jr.
On an evening that noticed ring women changed by impersonators of celebrities resembling Snoop Dogg, Hulk Hogan and Michael Jackson, performers in Elmo costumes and a drummer enjoying — normal sights and sounds in Instances Sq. on a Friday night time — Romero (17-2) ended up because the star of the present.
He appeared to realize extra confidence within the later rounds, letting extra onerous photographs go because it grow to be clear Garcia (24-2) didn’t appear able to stopping him. He gained 115-112 on two playing cards and the opposite choose scored it 118-109.
However Romero, who was knocked out by Gervonta Davis in a earlier title shot in New York, did not argue that he ought to now take Garcia’s place in opposition to Haney.
“Man, I ain’t even thinking about what’s next,” he mentioned. “I think Devin and Ryan should get their rematch and make a big one.”
The Garcia who knocked Haney down thrice was nowhere to be seen in Instances Sq. – which can undoubtedly result in questions on how a lot the medication affected that efficiency final April 20.
“I just think that whole year took a lot off my body physically and mentally,” Garcia mentioned.
Haney and Lopez appeared like themselves. A lot happening round them appeared nothing like a standard big-fight night time.
Fighters had been delivered from the lodge a few blocks away by automobiles, with Lopez arriving in a conventional yellow taxicab and Garcia coming in Batman’s automobile. The automobiles needed to cease at site visitors lights in between earlier than pulling up exterior the ring for the fighters to take a shortened ring stroll.
Haney (32-0) gained by scores of 119-109 twice and 118-110 on the opposite card, repeatedly catching Ramirez (29-3) coming in with counter punches off the ropes.
Lopez gained 118-110 on one choose’s card and 116-112 on the opposite two after controlling the struggle along with his benefits in hand and foot velocity.
The Brooklyn product who has fought in title bouts in Madison Sq. Backyard placed on a robust efficiency in a venue in contrast to the famed area 10 blocks to the south.
He improved to 22-1, celebrating in entrance of his hometown followers along with his arms raised within the shadows of the pole from the place the ball drops on New 12 months’s Eve in New York’s vacationer middle.
Boxers resembling Mike Tyson, Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson had seats exterior the ring together with New York Knicks middle Karl-Anthony Cities and a few individuals sporting Elmo costumes. A drummer carried out earlier within the night time whereas ready for the subsequent bout to start.
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Turki Alalshikh, the top of Riyadh Season and the Common Leisure Authority of Saudi Arabia, wished one thing distinctive for Ring Journal’s first boxing card within the U.S. after buying it final yr.
Thus started the plan to struggle in Instances Sq., bypassing Madison Sq. Backyard and Barclays Heart for the journey to New York.
Seventh Avenue remained open to site visitors — with automobiles being held solely briefly when the fighters’ automobiles crossed over — with orange fencing blocking the view of followers standing throughout the road questioning what was occurring inside.
Those that did have ringside entry — and it was unclear what number of did or how they bought it, although it wasn’t a big quantity — might go the time between bouts studying the ticker that scrolled alongside the skin of ABC’s Instances Sq. studios simply above the ring.
“It wasn’t as big as I expected it to get,” Lopez mentioned of his bout, earlier than including it felt greater because the night time went on.
