A fight between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta “Tank” Davis would be the biggest event in boxing. Ryan Garcia’s devastating stoppage of Javier Fortuna took us one step closer to that fight tonight.
From the first round, it was apparent that Garcia’s speed and size would be far too much for Javier Fortuna to deal with. Garcia in an all-white (except for the DIOR logo on his trunks) was confident working behind his snappy jab and left hooks.
Fortuna’s tactic to avoid Garcia’s trademark left hook was not a wise one. Fortuna chose to move straight back and did not go off-line when he did so. This opened him up for Garcia’s right hand. Fortuna’s recourse was to respond with wild haymakers.
In Round 4, Fortuna was dropped by a body shot and promptly spit out his mouth piece to buy more time to recover.
Fortuna was down in the fifth round on a left hook and again in the sixth. While Fortuna looked well-enough to continue, he again spit out his mouth piece the referee waved off the fight.
Garcia, boxing’s biggest rising star, is back on course after a year in the wilderness. Garcia looked sharp in what was only his second fight in roughly three months and arguably his biggest name opponent yet, given Fortuna’s status as a former world champion.
Garcia’s match with Fortuna was set to take place last year at the Banc of California Stadium in July. With Garcia out of that matchup, JoJo Diaz stepped up to the plate and earned a one-sided workmanlike decision.
Diaz will likely be Ryan Garcia’s next opponent due to boxing politics, but the all-California showdown will be a great test for Garcia given the style of Diaz.
In his post-fight interview, Garcia made it clear that the fight he wants next is against Gervonta Davis.
“I have a spirit of competition in me,” said Garcia” “You will see that come out when I face Tank Davis.”
