Lightweight sensation Ryan Garcia takes on Luke Campbell for the vacant WBC interim lightweight title in the main event of a DAZN card at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday.
Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) has won four of his past five fights by stoppage, including an impressive first-round KO over Francisco Fonseca on Feb. 14. Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) hasn’t fought since losing a unanimous decision challenging Vasiliy Lomachenko for the lightweight championship in August 2019.
In the co-main event, Rene Alvarado defends his WBA “regular” junior lightweight title against Roger Gutierrez in a 12-round battle.
Alvarado (32-8, 21 KOs) has won eight fights in a row, including six by stoppage, since a decision loss to Yuriorkis Gamboa almost four years ago. Gutierrez (24-3-1, 20 KOs) suffered consecutive loses to Oscar Duarte and Hector Tanajara in 2018, but he has won five consecutive bouts, four by stoppage.
Also on the card, Rene’s twin brother, Felix Alvarado (35-2, 30 KOs), defends his IBF junior flyweight world title against DeeJay Kriel (16-1-1, 8 KOS) in a 12-round fight.
Stay here for live undercard results and analysis.
Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia, left, arrives to his dressing room at the American Airlines Center in Dallas accompanied by super middleweight titlist, and training partner, Canelo Alvarez (right). Garcia faces Luke Campbell for the WBC interim lightweight title. (Photo by Ed Keenan/Golden Boy Promotions)
Fight in progress: Felix Alvarado vs. DeeJay Kriel, 12 rounds, for Alvarado’s IBF junior flyweight title
Results:
Curiel overwhelms Agaton in TKO win
Raul Curiel came out of the gate fast and never relented, battering Ramses Agaton for four-plus minutes on his way to a one-sided, second round TKO victory.
Curiel (9-0, 7 KOs) focused on the body early on, and a left hook to the liver buckled Agaton, who fell to his knee in frustration. The fight appeared to be on the brink of a stoppage at the end of Round 1 after a flurry of punches against the ropes, but Agaton (22-13-3, 12 KOs) lasted long enough to hear the bell at the end of the first round.
The aggression didn’t stop with the start of Round 2, though, as a perpetual barrage of right hooks and left uppercuts landed consistently. Agaton, whose right eye swelled shut, was unable to protect himself and his corner threw in the towel at 1:16.
According to CompuBox, Curiel outlanded Agaton 43-10, despite throwing virtually the same amount of punches (108 for Curiel, 107 for Agaton).
Younger Garcia stays unbeaten with majority decision win
Lightweight Sean Garcia, Ryan Garcia’s younger brother, stayed unbeaten with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Rene Marquez by scores of 38-38, 39-37 and 39-37.
Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs), had a more difficult time than anticipated against Marquez (5-5, 2 KOs). Marquez kept coming forward, landing body punches and throwing his right hand every time he had Garcia close. Garcia, 20, was able to land more punches in Round 3, but finished the fight fatigued — a product of Marquez’s body attack.
According to CompuBox, Garcia landed 48 of 161 total punches, while Marquez, 31, was able to land only 30 of 185. Garcia also connected 43 of his power punches, while Marquez landed only 22.
Still to come:
- Title fight: Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBC interim lightweight title
- Title fight: Rene Alvarado vs. Roger Gutierrez, 12 rounds, for Alvarado’s WBA “regular” junior lightweight title
- Franchon Crews-Dezurn vs. Ashleigh Curry, 8 rounds, super middleweights
- Blair Cobbs vs. Issouf Kinda, 10 rounds, welterweights
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