DALLAS – Luke Campbell went down, his body paralyzed from the force of a left hook to the liver, and by the time referee Laurence Cole counted to 10, boxing had a new star. Ryan Garcia has been called a lot of things in recent weeks: Skilled, good looking, a social media sensation. After stopping Campbell, a two-time world title challenger, Garcia can add proven to his list of descriptors.
What a night for Garcia, the 22-year-old phenom who has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last year. It wasn’t easy. Campbell, arguably the most decorated amateur fighter in British boxing history, had a solid game plan.