In what was widely criticized as one of the dullest boxing matches of the year, Erislandy Lara retained his WBA middleweight title by stopping Danny Garcia in the ninth round. The bout, which took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, left fans frustrated with both fighters’ lackluster performances and limited action throughout the contest.
Lara’s Tactical Approach Proves Too Much for Garcia
Lara, a Cuban-American-born fighter known for his slick defensive style, successfully defended his title for the third time against a visibly out-of-form Garcia. The fight was largely dominated by Lara’s technical prowess and ability to control the tempo with his southpaw jab. Although he only landed 63 punches across the fight—far from an exciting tally—it was enough to keep Garcia at bay. Garcia, on the other hand, only managed to land 33 punches, further highlighting his lack of offensive output .
Fans at the arena were quick to voice their displeasure, as boos echoed around the venue starting from as early as the second round. Lara, known for his methodical and low-output fighting style, appeared unbothered by the crowd’s reactions. He stuck to his game plan of minimizing risk, consistently working behind his jab and setting up occasional left hands that kept Garcia off balance.
Garcia’s Inactivity Shows
Garcia, who hadn’t fought in over two years, appeared a shadow of his former self. The 36-year-old ex-world champion struggled to find any rhythm, frequently hesitating to engage with Lara. His inactivity in the ring showed, as he landed just two punches in the fourth and seventh rounds. His once-aggressive, high-output style had seemingly evaporated, and he seemed content to stay on the defensive.
In the ninth round, after several rounds of sporadic exchanges, Lara finally delivered a left jab followed by a left cross that sent Garcia to his knees. The punch didn’t appear particularly damaging, but Garcia’s body language suggested he had had enough. As the round ended, Garcia’s corner, led by his father and trainer Angel Garcia, signaled to the referee that they were pulling him from the fight.
Post-Fight Reflections: Will Garcia Retire?
Following the match, Garcia expressed his disappointment but didn’t commit to retiring. “I tried to be great tonight, but it wasn’t my night,” said Garcia. “I’ve had two fights in four years, and I couldn’t find my rhythm” . Although he refused to rule out retirement, the former two-weight world champion acknowledged that this might be the end of his journey, particularly given his inability to adapt to fighting in the middleweight division.
At his best, Garcia was an elite fighter in the super lightweight division, but his move up to 160 pounds was always a risky one. At 36, his speed and power have clearly diminished, and the ring rust accumulated from his long layoff was evident in his performance against Lara.
Lara Marches On
Erislandy Lara, now 41, continues to defy the odds as the oldest active world champion in boxing. Although his style doesn’t always make for exciting fights, his mastery of distance and timing was more than enough to neutralize Garcia’s offense. Lara now boasts a record of 31-3-3 (19 KOs) and will likely seek bigger fights as he edges toward the end of his career.
The victory extended Lara’s streak of stoppages to four, solidifying his place among the top middleweights, although many fans and pundits feel that he will need to face stiffer competition if he hopes to cement his legacy further.
Conclusion
While Lara’s win over Garcia may have been technically sound, it did little to entertain the fans. Both fighters showed signs of decline, but Lara’s precision and control proved to be the deciding factors. For Garcia, the question now remains whether he will continue fighting or hang up his gloves after a long and successful career. For Lara, the win keeps him in the title picture, but he’ll need more exciting performances to remain relevant in a competitive middleweight division.
