The Sweet Science

Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) said he would knock out Conor Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) within five rounds. He needed only two. Garcia dropped Benn with a right hand in the second round and then finished him along the ropes at 1:25, retaining his WBC welterweight title Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. Benn came forward in the opening round, looking to make Garcia work and giving the champion little room to settle into his rhythm. Garcia, however, was finding the target with his speed and accuracy.

On tonight’s Zuffa Boxing card, Ryan Garcia defends his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The co-main event features Australian Jai Opetaia defending his Zuffa Boxing and The Ring cruiserweight title against Armenian veteran Noel Mikaelian. The Garcia vs Benn fight is expected to be predominately about speed and power. Both fighters made the 147-pound welterweight limit Friday, with Garcia weighing 145½ pounds and Benn 146.

Super welters and welterweights rule this weekend in boxing. Giovani Santillan (35-1) meets former world titlist Abass Baraou (17-2) at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, Calif. on Friday Sept. 11. It’s the 25th anniversary of the 9-11 tragedies in New York City and Washington D.C. ProBoxTV will stream the card on YouTube.com. Santillan is a native of San Diego and lost his only world title opportunity against Brian Norman Jr. two years ago.

The Queen’s Final Bow: Taylor Retires on Top In a stadium tinted in green, Ireland’s greatest Katie Taylor unleashed her speedy fists to win a convincing unanimous decision over France’s Flora Pili and become a three-time undisputed world champion on Saturday. And then she bid farewell to more than 80,000 Irish fans. “We brought back boxing to Croke Park,” said Taylor.

Heavyweight Andy Ruiz returns to the prize ring in hopes of re-capturing the magic moment of 2019 and Katie Taylor, one of the greatest female fighters in history, gives her last performance in the prize ring this weekend. A Mexican-American heavyweight and an Irish Olympian on back-to-back days. Andy Ruiz Returns Against Damian Knyba Ruiz (35-2-1, 22 KOs) returns after another two-year sabbatical and faces Poland’s Damian Knyba (17-1, 11 KOs) on Friday Sept.

Cameron Wins by Unanimous Decision Never fight in England if you’re an American champion. That’s the lesson Chantelle Cameron proved to Mikaela Mayer as once again a British fighter emerged victorious with Cameron winning several super welterweight world titles in the process on Saturday. Cameron (23-1, 8 KOs) scrapped her way to victory in front of a hometown crowd over the taller Mayer (22-3, 5 KOs) after 10 rounds at BP Pulse Live Arena in Birmingham, England.

This Saturday in boxing, it’s man versus woman in England. Two rival shows roughly 118 miles apart take place between a women’s main event featuring Mikaela Mayer versus Chantelle Cameron in Birmingham, England and male heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma fighting in London on Saturday. Who are you going to watch?

Teofimo Lopez Takes Rolly Romero’s WBA Title in Las Vegas By the end of Saturday night, Teofimo Lopez held another world championship, making him a three-division champion. With titles at lightweight and super lightweight, he had moved up to 147 pounds Saturday night for his first fight as a welterweight. The fight began as most do, with a feeling out round and nothing of consequence landing.

TEMECULA, CA. – With millions watching on Tik Tok Live around the world, Amanda Serrano sought to add Lucrecia Manzur as her 33rd knockout victim, but the Argentina slugger proved too tough for that, and Serrano won by split-decision after12 rounds on Friday. “The girls are getting younger and stronger,” Serrano said.

Serrano Looks to Make History in Temecula Southern California and Las Vegas are connected by more than just the Interstate-215. Boxing has always been a lure to both regions. Amanda Serrano arrives in So Cal with Most Valuable Promotions to perform on Friday; then the next day, on Saturday, a couple of welterweights clash for the world title 400 miles east in Las Vegas.