Ryan Garcia stops Benn in Round 2, calls out Lopez and Haney — SkimNews
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- Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) stopped Conor Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) in the second round to make the first defense of his WBC welterweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, headlining the sport's first Mexican Independence Day Weekend card.
- The event produced a live gate of more than $8 million for co-promoters The Ring, Zuffa Boxing, and Golden Boy Promotions, with Garcia selling out what the article calls "arguably the sport's premier arena."
- In the ring afterward, Garcia called out WBA titleholder Teofimo Lopez Jr., who attempted to rush the ring before being held back by security, and WBO titleholder Devin Haney for a rematch of their 2024 bout (originally a Garcia decision win later changed to a no contest after his failed drug test).
- Garcia, 28, opened 2026 by winning his first world title via 12-round decision over Mario Barrios in February, his rebound from a 2024 drug suspension, a 2025 title loss to Rolando "Rolly" Romero, and years of substance abuse and toxic behavior he has publicly acknowledged.
- The article positions Garcia as boxing's new lead draw after Terence Crawford's retirement, Canelo Alvarez's "twilight," and Gervonta Davis's 18-month inactivity amid legal troubles, noting David Benavidez has been filling that void in the interim.
Why it matters: With Crawford retired, Canelo in his twilight, and Davis inactive for 18 months, boxing had no clear lead draw. Garcia's $8 million gate at T-Mobile Arena and accepted callouts to Lopez and Haney — both ringside — establish him as the commercial anchor the sport had been missing.
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