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Message: [QUOTE="SWC75, post: 5055048, member: 289"] I watched Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia tonight. I felt Haney was going to out-box Garcia, who had been knocked out by Tank Davis. Both were basically lightweights and the taller Garcia more of a welterweight but if Davis could beat him, so could Haney. Haney's not really a knockout guy so I was looking for a decision. They were familiar with each other, having split 6 amateur fights. Garcia came in at 143 pounds so Haney's 140 pound title was safe. Garcia came out like a tiger and knocked Haney backwards with his left hook. But Haney wasn't really hurt and after the first minute, he settled into concentrate on his jab and an occasional lunging combinations. I gave Garcia the first round because he landed the biggest punch but it looked like Haney had established control of the fight and I gave him the next 5 rounds. Then came what will be a highly controversial 7th round. Garcia again rocked Haney with a left hook but this time, Haney went down on his pants. He later said he was more shocked than hurt. Then the ref, who was entirely too active in this fight, often interrupting the action, deducted a point from Garcia for hitting on the break. Doesn't he get a warning first? Haney went down two more times in that round but in both cases it looked like Garcia wrestled him down, trying to buy two fake knockdowns. He got a 9-8 round so I had him behind 64-67. In the 8th round, Garcia failed to follow up on his advantage but Haney failed to do anything to turn the fight around. I decided to score that one 10-10. Haney never again established his jab, so he stopped winning rounds. Ryan had a good flurry early in the 9th and won that. He then scored another knockdown of Haney in 10th. That wasn't because of a left hook: it was series of direct punches that came right down the pipe. the same thing happened in in the 11th round and it seemed inevitable that Garcia was going to knockout Haney, whose defensive capabilities seemed to have totally deserted him. Garcia was now ahead on my sheet, 106-104 but decided to spend the 12th round clowning with bolo punches and shaking his but t while sticking his chin out. He made no attempt to finish Haney off and left it to the judges, always a dumb move. It almost burned him as one judge had the bout even at 112-112. But the other two had it solid for Garcia, 114-110 and 115-109. I had it 115-114. Anyway the right guy won: three knockdowns to none is pretty convincing. Haney's not down and didn't even lose his title. This could make him an even more appealing opponent for the many good fighters in the 135-140 area, as he still has a reputation but appears vulnerable. Garcia's stock will rise but I think his future is among the welterweights. [/QUOTE]

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