Mikey Garcia officially joins the one percent league of elite fighters in the sport, making former two time champion Juan Manuel Lopez like a club fighter. Garcia stops Lopez in round 4, after knocking him down in the second round. The official time of the stoppage: 1:35 in the fourth round.
Both fighters started the first round cautious, trying to figure its other out. But the snapping jabs of Garcia were dominating. Just in the second round, Garcia perfectly thrown a quick-as-a-cat one-two combination that Lopez never saw it coming. Boom! Down went Lopez on his butt. He never saw it coming.
The knockdown came from a very treacherous attack. Garcia was so calm, seems not willing to engage at that time and content with his jab connecting well on Lopez's face. But all of the sudden Garcia unleashed a cracking one-two punch.
Lopez, not badly hurt, got up and continued the fight.
In the third round, Garcia is landing at well, beating the former champion form Puerto Rico by the punch. Lopez was totally off in his counters, he is just swinging in the air, not able to touch Garcia.
With the win, Garcia will make the title vacant. He was not able to make the division limit 126 pounds coming in during the weigh-in two pounds over at 128 pounds and did not bother to make the weight, because according to him it might affect his health. Mikey said after the weigh-in that his body seems like 'shutdown'.
I think Garcia's win will be put into question somehow for not making the contractual weight. He had two hours to get the right weight but instead of shedding the extra poundage he give Lopez several thousands of dollars.
Maybe those two pounds might not matter at all, but those division limits, were being set for a reason. Two pounds is two pounds.
However, looking into Lopez performance tonight, do you think he will not get knockout by Garcia, if he (Garcia) make the right weight?
I think Garcia will still knockout Lopez even if he weighed the same. Or even if they were both above the featherweight limit. The execution of Lopez was never near his level before he was knockout by Salido. He looked old and sluggish. He was totally wrecked from the two battles he endured against Salido.
Meanwhile, Garcia was ask if he will fight at 130, he said that If he feel comfortable fighting at 130 come next fight, he will stay there. But if not, and 126 still his division, he will go back down.
Maybe Garcia’s explosive win will be question, but the kid has a very bright future ahead of him. A fight with Rocky Martinez is inevitable for another classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.
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