Ryan Garcia knocks out Conor Benn to retain WBC welterweight championship - as it happened

Key Points:

• Ryan Garcia successfully defended his WBC welterweight title with a second-round TKO over Conor Benn, landing a decisive right hand that left Benn badly hurt and unable to continue effectively.
• Garcia weighed in at 145.5 pounds, his lightest since April 2024, while Benn came in at 146 pounds, his lightest since June 2019, marking Benn's first fight at welterweight in over four years.
• Both fighters entered with strong records—Garcia at 25-2 with 20 knockouts, and Benn at 25-1 with 14 knockouts—setting the stage for a highly anticipated bout at T-Mobile Arena on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
• After the fight, Garcia called out Teófimo López and expressed interest in a unification bout with Devin Haney to become the undisputed welterweight champion, signaling future high-profile matchups.
• The event also featured Jai Opetaia retaining his cruiserweight titles with a ninth-round stoppage over Noel Mikaelian, with both fighters immediately discussing a potential future fight between Opetaia and David Benavidez.