EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLAS VEGAS -- Ryan Garcia promised he would need five rounds or less to knock out Conor Benn. He ended up needing just two.Garcia (26-0, 21 KOs) recorded his fastest knockout in six years, finishing Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) at 1:25 of the second round Saturday night inside T-Mobile Arena. Referee Thomas Taylor ruled the WBC welterweight championship fight a TKO victory for Garcia after Benn was left virtually defenseless by shots along the ropes.The win was Garcia's fastest since he scored a first-round knockout of Francisco Fonseca in February 2020.Garcia, 28, defended the WBC title he captured against Mario Barrios in February for the first time and immediately called for unification bouts against WBA champion Teofimo Lopez and WBO champion Devin Haney."Teofimo, get that ass up here," Garcia told Lopez, who was in attendance. "We've got to clear this [division] out. I'll beat Devin Haney's ass again."The victory was a massive statement by Garcia, and it took place in Benn's first appearance under the banner of Zuffa Boxing. Garcia remains under promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, but Saturday's event was funded and promoted by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, and Dana White's Zuffa Boxing. Garcia's future promotional moves and partnerships could become a story of its own in the coming years.That's especially true after Saturday's superstar performance. Benn, of Essex, England, looked to pressure and get in the face of Garcia early, but he quickly ran into trouble. Garcia stunned him multiple times with his patented left hook before dropping him with a right hand in the opening 20 seconds of the second round.Benn stood back up from the knockdown, but never fully recovered. A prolonged flurry along the ropes eventually forced the referee to intervene.It's the second consecutive fight in which Garcia has scored a knockdown with his right hand. He did the same against Barrios in the first round."I've always had a right hand, I've just always had injuries," Garcia said. "This is kind of the first two fights I had no injuries in my right hand. I'm happy and I'm blessed. I want to thank Conor for a great build-up, great match. I respect him."Benn lost by knockout for the first time in his career. His only other loss came by decision in the first contest of a heated two-fight rivalry with Chris Eubank Jr. last year.Garcia is 2-1 since he moved up to welterweight following his infamous no-contest against Haney in April 2024. Garcia defeated Haney in their WBC junior welterweight title fight, but it was overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for ostarine. Garcia denied knowingly taking any banned substances.
