🥊 The WBA has officially ordered a mandatory lightweight title fight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and undefeated contender Floyd Schofield. Both camps now have 30 days — until June 22 — to reach a deal before the fight could head to a purse bid.
The WBA noted that Tank’s mandatory defense is already overdue following his majority draw with Lamont Roach back in March 2025. According to WBA rules, Davis cannot take another fight outside the mandatory challenger after the defense period expires.
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| Richard Pelham/Al Bello/Getty Images |
In a major development that would set the internet ablaze, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are reportedly finalizing a deal for a heavyweight boxing match to take place in Miami this December, streaming exclusively on Netflix. The highly lucrative bout comes after Paul’s scheduled exhibition with Gervonta Davis was recently canceled due to legal issues.
This fight marks a significant and massive step up in competition for Paul. He is set to challenge the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua (28-4), who has not fought since his loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and recently underwent elbow surgery. The proposed event is a pivotal moment for both the fighters and the streaming giant. For the 28-year-old Paul, facing a legitimate heavyweight champion answers his critics and cements his controversial transition from social media star to professional boxer. For Joshua, the fight represents a massive payday and a high-profile comeback opportunity before a potential clash with Tyson Fury next year.
The battle is expected to stream globally on Netflix, capitalizing on the massive viewership generated by Paul’s previous fights, which have set streaming records for live sporting events. While details are still being finalized, a public announcement of the official December 2025 fight date from Netflix is expected soon.
- Joyce Li
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| Jake Paul has called off his fight with Gervonta Davis (Image: Getty Images) |
Jake Paul has pulled out of his fight with Gervonta Davis after 'Tank' was accused of battery, false imprisonment and kidnapping by an ex-girlfriend. The pair were set to face off in an exhibition match in Miami on November 14, despite Davis being a lightweight and Paul a cruiserweight.
The bout wouldn't have counted towards their professional records, but a winner would have been declared either by stoppage or by two human judges and an AI official if the fight went the distance. However, Most Valuable Promotions have now decided to find a new opponent for Paul, with the YouTuber-turned-boxer branding Davis 'an actual walking human piece of garbage'.
Davis has yet to comment on the allegations, but his trainer Calvin Ford dismissed them as "nonsense". According to the lawsuit, Davis attacked ex-partner Courtney Rossel at her workplace on October 27 and had previously threatened to kill her.
Ms. Rossel also claims Davis "physically assaulted and choked" her on at least four other occasions. She is seeking damages of $50,000 and a jury trial.
Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement: "Our team has worked closely with all parties to navigate this situation responsibly. While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan still remains for Jake Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025.
"Details regarding a new date, location, Jake's opponent, and additional bouts will be shared as soon as they are finalised."
Paul took to social media to vent his frustrations, stating: "Working with him is an absolute nightmare. The unprofessionalism, the bizarre requests, the showing up hours late to shoots. To the numerous arrests and related accusations and lawsuits.
"If you support this man you support the most vile sin a man can commit... I'm so sorry to everyone involved."
Ryan Garcia was initially suggested as a potential replacement for Davis, but promoter Oscar De La Hoya has dismissed this idea. He explained: "Let me tell you why this fight is not going to happen.
"Ryan Garcia fights for DAZN and Jake Paul fights on Netflix. Golden Boy has a contract with DAZN. Ryan Garcia has a contract with Golden Boy."
In the meantime, Eddie Hearn hasn't ruled out a surprise match between Paul and Anthony Joshua. Speaking to iFL TV, he said: "Just let me know where."
Hearn's comments followed his earlier suggestion that it was unlikely Joshua would return to the ring before the end of the year.
He stated: "I don't want to confirm it because you never know but I think it's very unlikely. At the moment, we're all working towards our February date which is getting very close to being confirmed.
"Now, would there be a run out in 2025? Again, never say never. What I will say to you is he's four or five weeks deep into camp so he's on me to fight.
"Previously he hadn't been training in camp with intensity. He wasn't really looking to fight other than February but now he's almost ready to go so I think realistically as we move into November, February will be the return date but never say never."
- Martin Domin
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| Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images |
Jake Paul is taking issue with fans and critics already, with conspiracy theories on his fight with Gervonta Davis already taking a foothold.
Meeting with WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis for the first time face-to-face overnight, Jake Paul shared the stage with the unbeaten puncher at a pre-fight press conference.
And slated to throw down, albeit in an exhibition match in November, the duo will compete over the course of 10 rounds.
However, amid much discourse on social media regarding the clash, Paul has hit back at critics who claim the fix is already in on his fight with the Baltimore star.
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| Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images |
As is par for the course when Paul enters the ring, many speculate the outcome of the clash is already weighed in the Ohio native’s favor.
Namely, Paul was accused of fixing his December win over Mike Tyson, as well as numerous fights in the past, notably against the likes of Ben Askren, as well as his rematch win over ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
But with accusations once more leveled at Paul, the influencer has fired back, describing critics of him as “slugs”.
Reading tweets by these slugs saying Tank (Gervonta Davis) [is] going to take a dive… I’m really that f—— great that you all are making excuses already,” Paul posted on his X account.
“If I walk on water they will says (sic) it’s because I can’t swim.”
Set to share the ring in ‘The Sunshine State’, Paul and Davis will duke it out in an exhibition showdown in Florida.
However, despite the nature of the pairing, Paul remains confident of turning in one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history.
So much so, the former Disney Channel star launched his latest prediction, vowing to ditch the ruleset for these particular matchups.
- Ross Markey
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| Gervonta Davis takes a knee in the middle of Round 9 against Lamont Roach Jr. during their bout for Davis' WBA lightweight title at Barclays Center in New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images) |
Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach ended in a way that left no one — outside of perhaps Davis' camp — satisfied. Following the end of 12 hyper-competitive rounds, "Tank" was given the gift of a lifetime, with Saturday's three ringside judges submitting two 114-114 scorecards along with a 115-113 score for Davis, turning a bout many assumed would be a life-changing Roach upset win instead into a majority draw.
Considering the closeness of the scores, the critical moment of the fight came in Round 9 when referee Steve Willis bafflingly allowed Davis to take a knee and essentially call his own timeout following a Roach jab. Davis said post-fight that he wanted his corner to wipe away grease from his braids that had gotten into his eyes, but regardless of his reasoning, the rules of boxing are clear in not allowing fighters to call their own timeouts, and thus Davis' actions should've constituted an official knockdown.
Had Willis handled the situation correctly, Roach would've earned an extra point advantage in the ninth round and ultimately won the bout on two scorecards, granting him a career-altering win over an undefeated fighter many consider to be one of the pound-for-pound 10 best in the world.
Davis was more than an 18-to-1 favorite at BetMGM to defeat Roach and defend his WBA lightweight title on Saturday at Barclays Center in New York.
Understandably, the bizarre nature of Willis' decision and the final result leaving Roach high and dry after what should've been the most lucrative performance of his career set off a wave of outrage in the boxing world, with a myriad of pound-for-pound stars and sweet science notables lambasting the outcome.
The NYSAC has something to answer for. The scorecards were fine. Competitive fight. But Lamont Roach gets the knockdown he deserved in the ninth and he wins. Absolutely ridiculous.
- Chris Mannix
David Benavidez will meet David Morrell in a high-stakes light heavyweight bout, Benavidez announced Tuesday on Instagram.
The 175-pound bout will headline a PBC pay-per-view card and is expected to take place Jan. 25 in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) was in talks to fight fringe contender Jesse Hart on Dec. 14 on the undercard of the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach title bout, according to sources, but he secured a far more compelling bout.
Benavidez has chased boxing's top star, Canelo Álvarez, for years. Álvarez hasn't shown any interest in such a matchup, so Benavidez made the jump from 168 to 175 pounds this summer with a decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Benavidez, 27, who fights out of Miami, is a former two-time titleholder at 168 pounds. He's rated No. 3 at 175 pounds.
Now, Benavidez is prepared for the toughest test of his career. Cuba's Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) also made the move to light heavyweight this summer. He encountered the most-challenging fight of his career with a unanimous decision over Radivoje Kalajdzic in August.
Morrell, 26, is ESPN's No. 4 light heavyweight. ESPN's top two 175-pounders, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, fight Saturday on ESPN+ for the undisputed light heavyweight championship.
The winner of Benavidez-Morrell will be positioned for a fight with the winner.
- Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
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| Gervonta Davis, right, defended his WBA lightweight world title with a KO victory over Frank Martin Saturday night in Las Vegas. Steve Marcus/Getty Images |
Gervonta Davis cemented his status Saturday as one of the sport's best fighters with another highlight-reel KO.
One of Davis' patented left uppercuts dazed Frank Martin before a left cross sent the defenseless challenger crashing to the mat for the count of 10 in Round 8. Davis, ESPN's No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer, could face Vasiliy Lomachenko later this year in a lightweight summit meeting.
"Tank" Davis' successful WBA lightweight title defense was billed as the 100th championship fight at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. The bout was Davis' first in 14 months -- a seventh-round TKO of Ryan Garcia last April -- and first since a 44-day jail stint last summer.
David Benavidez made his light heavyweight debut in the PBC PPV co-feature with a comfortable unanimous-decision victory over former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. While Benavidez didn't secure the stoppage, he did impress as he looks toward far bigger fights at 175 pounds.
Elsewhere Saturday, Australia's Liam Paro scored a major upset with a decision win over Subriel Matias to capture the IBF junior welterweight title.
Here's what we learned from each of those three fights, along with the title implications following the results:
Davis explosive in return; could Lomachenko be next?
Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) reminded everyone he's one of the sport's most-electrifying fighters with another spectacular KO victory. Martin was game and banked some early rounds with a sharp jab. All three judges gave Martin the first three rounds.
Fighting in his first title bout, Martin was able to mark up Davis' right eye with left hands as he boxed off the back foot, but "Tank" is usually a slow starter. This night was no different.
Davis' educated pressure began to wear Martin down behind his southpaw jab and followed with explosive left hands. It was a matter of time until one of those shots landed flush, and when it did, Martin couldn't absorb it. He had never been knocked down before, but this was his first fight on the elite level.
With another opponent out of the way, calls will resume for Baltimore's Davis to fight in a title unification bout for the first time at age 29. Preliminary talks have been held to match Davis against IBF lightweight champion Lomachenko. Ukraine's Lomachenko, ESPN's No. 1 lightweight, is a future Hall of Famer.
Davis, ESPN's No. 2 lightweight, could also look to a fall fight with Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson defends his WBC 135-pound title vs. Artem Harutyunyan on July 6, and will be a promotional free agent afterward, clearing an easier path for a fight with Davis.
Benavidez dominates in 175-pound debut
David Benavidez center, celebrates his victory over Oleksandr Gvozdyk to win the interim WBC light heavyweight title. Steve Marcus/Getty Images
One of the sport's fastest-rising stars, David Benavidez has long lobbied for a shot at Canelo Alvarez, but when that wasn't successful, he moved up to light heavyweight.
That first 175-pound bout came vs. Gvozdyk, the former lineal champion who once TKOed Adonis Stevenson but was sent into retirement by Artur Beterbiev in 2019.
After 3½ years out of the ring, Gvozdyk returned last year with three bouts against lower-tier opposition. He performed well against Benavidez to last the distance, but Gvozdyk never threatened to win the fight.
At his new weight, Benavidez didn't unload with his usual volume, but showed improved defense. He slipped many of Gvozdyk's shots while he applied pressure and caught many punches on his arms.
Benavidez battered Gvozdyk's body and prevailed via scores of 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112. Next up could be a fall fight with David Morrell, a super middleweight contender who's also moving up to 175 pounds. The Cuban will make his light heavyweight debut Aug. 3 vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic.
The marquee fight for Benavidez -- outside of an Alvarez meeting -- is the winner of the Oct. 12 Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed light heavyweight championship bout.
The concern now rests on Benavidez's power at his new weight. Despite all the damage he dealt Gvozdyk, he never had the Ukrainian in serious trouble. Against a better fighter such us Beterbiev or Bivol, Benavidez will likely need to be better.
"I was trying to get the feel for the light heavyweight division," said Benavidez, 27. "These guys, they hit a little bit harder up here. ... Two weeks ago I suffered a cut in my eye. ... I had a torn tendon on my right hand, and I didn't think I was going to make it tonight, but we pushed through it."
Paro upset over Matias shakes up 140-pound division
Liam Paro, left, defeated Subriel Matias by unanimous decision to win the IBF junior welterweight title. Amanda Westcott/Matchroom
For the second time in three months, there's a major upset in a junior welterweight title fight. First it was Ryan Garcia, who floored Devin Haney three times in a decision win in April, though the result stands to be overturned after Garcia's positive test for the banned substance ostarine.
Now it's Paro who defied the odds in a 140-pound title fight with a victory over Matias in enemy territory.
Paro (24-0, 15 KOs) stood his ground in the face of Matias' relentless pressure and exchanged with the power-puncher. The win appeared far from fluky as the 28-year-old made adjustments and showed off a versatile arsenal in a career-best performance.
It was yet another road victory for Paro, who traveled to the U.S. in December for a sixth-round TKO win over Montana Love. After the pair of wins -- this one over ESPN's No. 2 140-pounder -- the newly minted champion could find himself in the division's top five when ESPN's rankings are updated next week.
The division is hot. Jack Catterall rose to No. 4 in the rankings after he defeated Josh Taylor in the rematch last month. Teofimo Lopez, the lineal champion, defends his IBF title against Steve Claggett on June 29 in Miami.
There's now plenty of attractive matchups for Paro. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said he'd like to deliver a title defense for him in Australia, where Tim Tszyu and George Kambosos Jr. have competed in front of sizable crowds.
The most appetizing of all is a rematch with Matias, especially Down Under. The fight was a slugfest, and a return bout would be welcomed by fans.
Matias is with Matchroom, and so, too, are Catterall and Richardson Hitchins.
- Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
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| Devin Haney, above, is out of the top 10 after losing to Ryan Garcia on April 20. Al Bello/Getty Images |
In one of the most entertaining fights between two of boxing's young stars this year, Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney by majority decision Saturday night at a packed Barclays Center in New York City.
Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) entered the fight surrounded by controversy, erratic comments and questions about his readiness and fitness to fight. To top that, Garcia was 3.2 pounds over the weight limit the day before the bout.
But as soon as the bell rang, Garcia showed his speed and power and wobbled Haney with his trademark left hook to the chin. Haney recovered well, and won the next four rounds in all three judges' scorecards, but Garcia took over the fight in Rounds 6 and 7, connecting 28 power punches while Haney only landed five. Garcia outlanded Haney the rest of the way 50 to 34 and knocked him down three times (Rounds 7, 10 and 11).
"I shouldn't have put too much pressure on myself to stop him, because every time I hurt him, I went crazy and I couldn't stop him," Garcia said after the fight. "I think the ref [Harvey Dock] should've stopped the fight. [Haney] was really hurt. I felt bad, I even looked at [Bill Haney, Devin's father and trainer] to stop the fight."
The loss sends Haney out of the top 10 from his previous spot at No. 6, opening the door for Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez to make his debut in ESPN's P4P rankings. Garcia received a few votes but not enough yet to crack the top 10.
"After the way Garcia was able to break through Haney's defense, and the tremendous power he displayed with three knockdowns, Garcia cracks my top 10," ESPN boxing writer Mike Coppinger, who ranked Garcia at No. 9 on his list, said. "Haney looked untouchable against Regis Prograis. And while Garcia had a weight advantage, he still was able to land flush on Haney's chin with surprising frequency."
Timothy Bradley Jr., a two-division champion, current ESPN boxing analyst and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, left Haney out of his list after the loss.
"Haney was beaten by a fighter who admittedly was drinking and smoking weeks out before their match," Bradley said. "Someone who was out partying nights before their battle. Someone that has never participated in a championship contest. Haney is talented but is no longer a P4P fighter at the moment."
Our panel of Mike Coppinger, Timothy Bradley Jr., Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Eric Raskin, Michelle Joy Phelps, Claudia Trejos, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Bernardo Pilatti, Charles Moynihan, Salvador Rodriguez, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro, Aladdin Freeman, Victor Lopez and Damian Delgado Averhoff, shares its votes.
1. TERENCE CRAWFORD Previous ranking: No. 1
RECORD: 40-0, 31 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO9) Errol Spence Jr., July 29
NEXT FIGHT: Aug. 3 vs. Israil Madrimov
2. NAOYA INOUE Previous ranking: No. 2
RECORD: 26-0, 23 KOs
DIVISION: Junior featherweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO10) Marlon Tapales, Dec. 26
NEXT FIGHT: May 6 vs. Luis Nery
3. OLEKSANDR USYK Previous ranking: No. 3
RECORD: 21-0, 14 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO9) Daniel Dubois, Aug. 26
NEXT FIGHT: May 18 vs. Tyson Fury
4. CANELO ALVAREZ Previous ranking: No. 4
RECORD: 60-2-2, 39 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Jermell Charlo, Sept. 30
NEXT FIGHT: May 4 vs. Jaime Munguia
5. DMITRY BIVOL Previous ranking: No. 5
RECORD: 22-0, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Lyndon Arthur, Dec. 23
NEXT FIGHT: June 1 vs. Artur Beterbiev
6. ARTUR BETERBIEV Previous ranking: No. 7
RECORD: 20-0, 20 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO7) Callum Smith, Jan. 13
NEXT FIGHT: June 1 vs. Dmitry Bivol
7. GERVONTA DAVIS Previous ranking: No. 8
RECORD: 29-0, 27 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight
LAST FIGHT: W (KO7) Ryan Garcia, April 22
NEXT FIGHT: June 15 vs. Frank Martin
8. SHAKUR STEVENSON Previous ranking: No. 9
RECORD: 21-0, 10 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight champion
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Edwin De Los Santos, Nov. 16
NEXT FIGHT: July 6 vs. Artem Harutyunyan
9. TYSON FURY Previous ranking: No. 10
RECORD: 34-0-1, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (SD10) Francis Ngannou, Oct. 28
NEXT FIGHT: May 18 vs. Oleksandr Usyk
10. JESSE "BAM" RODRIGUEZ Previous ranking: Not ranked
RECORD: 19-0, 12 KOs
DIVISION: Flyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO9) Sunny Edwards, Dec. 16
NEXT FIGHT: June 29 vs. Juan Francisco Estrada
The formula
The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote awarding 10 points, a second-place vote awarding nine points, and so on. A tie goes to the fighter with the highest ranking, then the one with the most votes at that ranking.
Others receiving votes: Teofimo Lopez Jr. (20), David Benavidez (11), Vasiliy Lomachenko (5), Devin Haney (4), Ryan Garcia (3), Emanuel Navarrete (3), Errol Spence Jr. (2), Junto Nakatani (2).
How our writers voted
Atlas: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Usyk, 5. Davis, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Lomachenko, 8. Alvarez, 9.Benavidez, 10. Haney
Bradley: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3: Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Davis, 9. Rodriguez, 10. Lopez Jr.
Coppinger: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Davis, 8. Fury, 9. Garcia, 10. Haney
Tessitore: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Stevenson, 7. Alvarez, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Lopez, 10. Davis
Parkinson: 1. Inoue, 2. Crawford, 3. Alvarez, 4. Usyk, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Bivol, 7. Davis, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Lopez
Raskin: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Alvarez, 5. Usyk, 6. Stevenson, 7. Davis, 8. Benavidez, 9. Beterbiev, 10. Rodriguez
Trejos: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Alvarez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Davis, 8. Stevenson, 9. Fury, 10. Garcia
Phelps: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Alvarez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Davis, 8. Stevenson, 9. Fury, 10. Garcia
Osuna: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Lopez, 10. Davis
Rodriguez: 1. Inoue, 2. Crawford, 3. Alvarez, 4. Usyk, 5. Bivol, 6. Davis, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Fury, 9. Rodriguez, 10. Stevenson
Woodyard: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Alvarez, 4. Davis, 5. Fury, 6. Lopez, 7. Usyk, 8. Stevenson, 9. Bivol, 10. Beterbiev
Moynihan: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Alvarez, 4. Usyk, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Bivol, 7. Davis, 8. Fury, 9. Spence, 10. Stevenson
Pilatti: 1. Inoue, 2. Crawford, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Davis, 7. Benavidez, 8. Navarrete, 9. Rodriguez, 10. Fury
Zirolli: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Stevenson, 4. Alvarez, 5. Usyk, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Bivol, 8. Lopez, 9. Benavidez, 10. Rodriguez
Mascaro: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Alvarez, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Lopez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Haney
Freeman: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Alvarez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Davis, 10. Lomachenko
Lopez: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Alvarez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Davis, 8. Fury, 9. Stevenson, 10. Rodriguez
Delgado Averhof: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Davis, 8. Fury, 9. Rodriguez, 10. Stevenson
ESPN experts' poll
First place: Crawford (15), Inoue (3)
Second place: Inoue (14), Crawford (3), Alvarez (1)
Third place: Usyk (10), Alvarez (4), Bivol (2), Inoue (1), Stevenson (1)
Fourth place: Bivol (5), Usyk (4), Alvarez (4), Beterbiev (4), Davis (1)
Fifth place: Bivol (7), Alvarez (4), Beterbiev (3), Usyk (2), Davis (1), Fury (1)
Sixth place: Beterbiev (8), Bivol (2), Alvarez (2), Davis (2), Stevenson (2), Fury (1), Lopez (1)
Seventh place: Davis (7), Usyk (2), Stevenson (2), Rodriguez (2), Bivol (1), Alvarez (1), Beterbiev (1), Benavidez (1), Lomachenko (1)
Eighth place: Fury (5), Stevenson (3), Rodriguez (3), Lopez (3), Alvarez (1), Davis (1), Benavidez (1), Navarrete (1)
Ninth place: Rodriguez (4), Davis (2), Stevenson (2), Lopez (2), Benavidez (2), Bivol (1), Beterbiev (1), Fury (1), Spence (1), Garcia (1), Nakatani (1)
10th place: Haney (4), Stevenson (3), Rodriguez (3), Davis (2), Lopez (2), Beterbiev (1), Fury (1), Lomachenko (1), Garcia (1)
- ESPN
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| AP Photo |
The Associated Press scored it 114-110 for Garcia.
The 25-year-olds from California split six fights as amateurs, but Haney had the stronger pro career, winning the undisputed lightweight title and then moving up to win the WBC belt in his first fight at 140 pounds.
Garcia couldn't take that, but he took Haney's perfect record. Haney fell to 31-1.
Haney had seemingly taken his place among the best fighters in the world, while it became easy to wonder if Garcia was overhyped. Garcia was stopped by Gervonta Davis last year in his biggest fight and expectations were he was going down again, even as he insisted he was ready to fight despite the appearance that he spent more time on the internet than in the gym.
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| AP Photo |
Garcia explained that he needs his nights out and time for his other interests to help get past problems in his personal life, such as a divorce.
“I did what I thought I needed to do to feel OK,” Garcia said.
He was better than OK. He was better than one of the best fighters in the world.
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| AP Photo |
He wobbled Haney with a big left hook in the opening round, and though Haney steadied himself and appeared to winning the middle rounds, Garcia’s power showed up again in the seventh.
“He caught me early when I was sleeping on it,” Haney said of the first-round hook. “He caught me by surprise.”
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| AP Photo |
A straight left set up the first knockdown and Haney struggled to regain his balance the rest of the round. He went down twice more in the round, but neither was ruled a knockdown by the referee, who also took a point from Garcia in the round for hitting on the break.
No matter. There was no denying the knockdowns in the 10th and 11th, and Garcia was able to spend most of the 12th taunting the champion.
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| AP Photo |
It had been unclear from the start how enthused Garcia was for the fight, which he was lobbying to be held in Las Vegas even after it had already been announced for Brooklyn.
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| AP Photo |
It became a non-title bout Friday when Garcia weighed in at 143.2 pounds, 3.2 above the super lightweight limit. He didn’t seem bothered, firing off social media posts saying the extra weight would make him stronger, then drinking what appeared to be a bottle of beer on the scale during the ceremonial public weigh-in later in the afternoon.
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| AP Photo |
But he looked like the fast-rising sensation of earlier in his career, the crowd chanting his name as he began to dominate the latter rounds.
Garcia said he would look to move up to 147 pounds, saying he is unable to get to the 140-pound limit.
