Benn’s legs gave way under the impact of a sharp left hook, compelling him to hold onto Ryan. Although Benn managed to stabilize himself and press forward once more, he leaned straight into a rising right uppercut. While his aggressive forward march generated high-paced action, it simultaneously exposed major defensive gaps that a swifter, more precise opponent could easily take advantage of.
Benn Was Completely Blind to the Right Hand
The decisive moment arrived in the second round. As Benn persistently pressed forward into striking distance, Ryan sent him to the canvas with a powerful overhand right. The challenger rose before the referee’s count concluded, but Garcia wasted no time in closing in, launching a barrage of punches while Benn attempted to shield himself.
With 1:25 gone in the round, third man in the ring Thomas Taylor stepped in to halt the bout. Coming after just a single knockdown, the stoppage felt premature, giving Benn justifiable grounds for frustration. Though visibly shaken, he remained on his feet, conscious of his surroundings, and was actively trying to fire back against Ryan’s onslaught. Taylor’s intervention stripped him of the chance to work through the crisis and survive.
This hasty halt also prevented Ryan from securing a more definitive ending to the bout. Having already wobbled Benn in the opening frame and floored him in the second, Garcia easily landed hooks, uppercuts, and straight rights because the challenger failed to guard his head while advancing.
While his shedding of pounds likely depleted his strength, Benn’s defensive lapses proved to be his undoing. Tipping the scales at 146 pounds for his initial welterweight appearance since 2022, he approached the contest as though Ryan’s only weapon was his signature left hook. The decisive right hand that sealed his fate was straightforward and predictable; Benn merely marched directly into its path.
Ryan Silences His Detractors
Following his defeat to Rolly Romero and the controversy that clouded the Devin Haney no-contest, Ryan required a display that would re-establish his reputation as one of the sport’s most lethal punchers. He accomplished exactly that, utilizing superior hand speed, impeccable timing, and the poise to let Benn unravel his own dreams of a championship.
Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) thus successfully recorded the initial defense of the championship he claimed from Mario Barrios back in February, whereas Benn’s maiden shot at a world crown was shattered in under five minutes of action.
The title remains in Ryan’s possession. Although Benn might argue that the referee merely spared Garcia the effort of a proper knockout, the reality is that the challenger was wobbled in both frames and simply could not cope with the blistering speed of the incoming fire.
