By Mark Eisner: Danny Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) made it look easy in beating tune-up level opponent Ivan Redkach (23-5-1, 18 KOs) by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision in a WBC 147-lb title eliminator on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
(Photo credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)
The 31-year-old former 2-division world champion beat the over-matched 33-year-old Redkach by the following scores 118-110, 117-111, 117-111. Boxing News 24 scored it for Garcia by the score 120-108.
Redkach didn’t do enough to win any rounds, and he made Danny look better than he actually. Garcia is a good fighter, but he’s a cut below the elite level welterweights in the division.
With the win, Garcia could be facing WBA ‘Super World’ welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao next. If not him, then there’s a chance he could get a fight against WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
Garcia, who goes by the nickname ‘Swift,’ mostly plodded slowly around the ring in stalking Redkach. The most exciting thing about the fight was Redkach biting Garcia on the neck in the 8th. Apart from that, Garcia looked pedestrian, and Redkach seemed out of his league.
Jarrett Hurd decisions Francisco Santana
In another one-sided fight on tonight’s card, former IBF & WBA junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd (25-1, 16 KOs) defeated the much smaller journeyman Francisco Santana (25-9-1, 12 KOs) by a one-sided 10 round unanimous decision.
The scores were 97-92, 99-90, 99-90. Boxing News 24 had Hurd winning 99-90. The only surprise in this fight was the fact that Hurd didn’t score a knockout. He had the chance of fighting a rematch with Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams, but opted for the soft fight against little known Santana, but was still unable to stop him. Hurd did drop Santana in the 10th, but that was it.
Hurd said he wanted to change his brawling style to keep from getting hit as much, but he was still hit a lot tonight.
Stephen Fulton beats Arnold Khegai
Stephen Fulton (18-0, 8 KOs) easily beat Arnold Khegai (16-1-1, 10 KOs) by a 10 round unanimous decision in a World Boxing Organization 122-lb title eliminator match. The scores were 116-112, 117-111, 117-111. Boxing News 24 scored it 117-111 for Fulton. Not as much action was what was originally thought.
Keeshawn Williams defeats Gaku Takahashi
In a competitive fight, undefeated 147-lb prospect Keeshawn Williams (7-0-1, 2 KOs) defeated the tough as nails journeyman Gaku Takahashi (16-11-1, 8 KOs) by an eight round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The judges scored it 79-73, 78-74, 80-72.
Lorenzo Simpson decisions Antonio Louis Hernandez
Undefeated middleweight Lorenzo Simpson (7-0, 4 KOs) defeated a badly over-matched Antonio Louis Hernandez (2-11-1, 0 KOs) by a six round unanimous decision. The scores were 59-55 59-55, 59-55.