Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia results: 'Tank' wins via TKO, prepares for potential Ryan Garcia fight

Daniel Yanofsky

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Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia results: 'Tank' wins via TKO, prepares for potential Ryan Garcia fight image

Digging deep into his arsenal, Gervonta Davis battled back and took down a very game Hector Luis Garcia on Saturday to retain the WBA (Regular) lightweight title. 

"Tank" won via ninth-round TKO as 19,000-plus, including family and friends, cheered him on inside Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Garcia couldn't see following a Davis onslaught in the eighth. Davis earned his 26th win via knockout in 28 fights.

After the fight, Davis called out Ryan Garcia. The two have been butting heads for some time, and a fight could take place in April. 

"God willing. I’m ready for the fight (against Ryan Garcia)," Davis said. "It’s scheduled for April. I’m here. He’s been training, he’s been talking. Let’s see who’s really about that."

Satiurday's fight turned into an all-out war. Both were trying to outdo the other. Jabs turned into hard shots to the body and face as both men tried to find an edge.

MORE: Jaron Ennis shares origin story behind 'Boots' nickname

Hector Luis Garcia was smart at the start of the fight. He kept away from Davis' power while landing vicious shots of his own. He continued to control the pace of the fight as Round 3 began. Davis was winding up his shots as Garcia found holes. 

While it was dangerous to get back in the clinch, Garcia managed to hold his own, and then some. It wasn't until Round 4 and 5 that Davis started to gain momentum. While Garcia was keeping Davis at bay, Davis still leaned forward to scare him.

Davis eventually was able to counter Garcia's shots with right hooks that wowed the crowd. He was starting to heat up, but Garcia would not budge. 

Things got interesting in Round 8. Garcia had early momentum, but then a fight broke out in the crowd, halting the action. It appeared to have involved the family and teams of Gary Russell Jr. and rapper Meek Mill. 

Davis used the wasted time to recover, and once the fight resumed, he landed crisp combinations and shots to the face that pushed Garcia back. As Round 9 started, Garcia told his corner he couldn't see. The fight was called off. 

Prior to the finish, all three judges had scored the fight in favor of Davis, 78-74, 79-73 and 79-73. Per CompuBox, Davis landed 99 of 239 shots (41 percent), with 26 of them jabs. Garcia landed 55 of 345 shots (16 percent). Garcia only landed double-digit shots once, in the sixth. Davis landed 30 in the eighth. 

"When I caught him, I knew he was hurt," Davis said after the fight. "He was hurt bad. He’s a fighter, he didn't want to show it. I know he was hurt, though. . . . I got stuff to work on . . .  I’m always willing to learn.

"I wasn’t throwing a lot of shots in the beginning because I was trying to beat him mentally. I was trying to trick him with my hands and my eyes and things like. that because he’s a tough fighter. I had to bait him.”

Davis' title defense was initially clouded by controversy. There was speculation the fight could be postponed or canceled after Davis was arrested on a domestic violence charge in late December. Davis’ accuser later retracted what she said on a 911 call; she stated at the time that she believed she was in danger.

MORE: Full timeline of Gervonta Davis' legal history

And before Davis can face Ryan Garcia, he must first appear in court in February over his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run incident in November 2020. 

The Sporting News provided live results and highlights from Davis vs. Garcia.

Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia live results, updates

Gervonta Davis def. Hector Luis Garcia via TKO

Round 9: Garcia says he can't see, and the fight has been called. Davis gets the win.

Round 8: Right uppercut by Garcia. Now he lands combinations and a short right hook. There is a fight in the crowd and the action is halted. After the action in the ring resumes, Garcia lands combinations. Garcia with a left. A jab by Garcia and then a right hook. Davis with combinations, but Garcia with a jab. A huge shot to the face of Garcia and he is wobbling. Davis takes advantage and lands several big shots. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Davis (77-75, Garcia) 

Round 7: Combination jabs by Garcia. He then lands a body shot. Davis tries for the big shots, but he is missing wildly. Right by Davis does connect. Garcia goes low a few times. Jab by Garcia followed by a shot to the body. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Garcia (68-65, Garcia) 

Round 6: Body shots by Garcia connect. They are both playing it very close to the vest. Garcia with combinations to the body. Now a hook to the body. Davis tries to move forward, but Garcia is keeping him at bay. As Davis leads with a straight left, Garcia counters back. Right hook by Davis to the body. Garcia with a counter.  

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Garcia (58-56, Garcia)

Round 5: Garcia tries to go for the combination jab. They both connect. Garcia lands a left body shot and tries to go for an uppercut. Davis lands head shots but Garcia lands body blows. Big shot by Davis to the head, and another. Now he lands a body shot and a three-punch combination to the head. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Davis (48-47, Garcia)

Round 4: Now Garcia is using the jab to push Davis back. Counter left by Garcia after a body shot by Davis. Davis tries for power but Garcia uses his counter shots to hold him back. A right finally connects for Davis, and he is in the punching range. Body and head shots land. He lands another combination. Garcia lands clean shots. A left by Davis connects. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Davis (39-37, Garcia)

Round 3: Garcia continues to control the pace and range. A counter left by Garcia connects, and another. Combinations from Garcia connect. He then lands counter shots, as Davis winds up his shots. A left hand connects but Garcia misses a right uppercut. Counter left by Davis connects. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Garcia (30-27, Garcia) 

Round 2: Garcia goes low and Davis counters with a high shot to the face. Now they try to jab away, and Garcia lands a nice shot. Jab by Garcia connects along with combinations. Body shots by Garcia land as he hides from Davis' big shots. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Garcia (20-18, Garcia)

Round 1: Both attempt the jab as they feel the other out. Quick hands connect on both sides. Garcia looks for a combination. He uses his defense to avoid any power shots from Davis. 

SN unofficial scorecard: 10-9, Garcia 

The main event, Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia, is up next. Both fighters enter the ring as the clock almost strikes 1 a.m. ET. 

Jaron Ennis goes the distance for the first time, beats Karen Chukhadzhian for interim gold

12:35 a.m. ET: Ennis was tested for the first time against a game Chukhadzhian. Ennis won via unanimous decision (120-108, 120-108, 120-108). "Boots" is looking to face Errol Spence Jr. next. This was an eye-opening fight for Ennis, who continues to grow. 

12:30 a.m. ET: Chukhadzhian is making this a defensive fight as Round 9 begins, forcing Ennis to expend more energy than he is used to. Counter hook lands by Ennis. Chukhadzhian's defense is working as Ennis is badly missing shots in the later rounds. Ennis finally lands a vicious right hook. He lands uppercuts but the fight continues. Chukhadzhian's body is starting to feel the effects of Ennis' shots. Right hooks by Ennis connect in the 11th. Fans are booing as the fight goes to the last round. Hard shots by both, especially within the pocket. Chukhadzhian with hard shots to the face. 

12:15 a.m. ET: Body shot by Chukhadzhian in the sixth followed by a left hook. Chukhadzhian continues to work the body, while Ennis tries to jab away. Unfamiliar territory for Ennis as he enters the seventh round for the first time in his career. "Boots" lands combinations following an uppercut from Chukhadzhian. Big hook by Chukhadzhian as Ennis takes aim at his opponent's body. Combinations by both fighters. Chukhadzhian with a left hook in the eighth. Left hook misses and "Boots" looks angry. Combinations to Ennis' face connect, while Ennis lands combinations to the body. 

12:05 a.m. ET: Ennis is kicking it up a notch in Round 3. He reaches for the overhand, almost connecting. Combinations now connect and then he lands a forward right shot. Right cross by Chukhadzhian. Hard right hook by Ennis pushes Chukhadzhian back. In Round 4, Ennis lands a shot but Chukhadzhian lands a double-left hook. Big right by Ennis and then he unloads with big blows. Big hook to the face by Chukhadzhian, which wowed the fans. Both trade shots in Round 5. Body shot by Chukhadzhian and now a right by Ennis. Chukhadzhian is using his footwork to annoy Ennis and his fans. 

11:50 p.m. ET: Ennis tries to force the jab right away. Chukhadzhian gets backed up by one. A body shot by Ennis and then he lands a counter shot to the face. Ennis is waiting to land the big blow as Chukhadzhian backs away. Round 2 is more of the same. Chukhadzhian tries to reach inside, but "Boots" is countering everything. Big left hand by Ennis. 

11:35 p.m. ET: Jaron "Boots" Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian for the interim IBF welterweight title is up next. Ennis can secure a fight against Errol Spence Jr. with a win. 

Jimmy Lennon Jr. asks for a moment of silence for the late referee Steve Smoger, judge Jerry Roth and trainer Hector Rocha. 

Upset alert: Roiman Villa storms back, beats Rashidi Ellis via split decision

11:20 p.m. ET: Villa with left hands in Round 11. Ellis, tired, is surviving the onslaught. He is comfortably ahead, but he cannot get caught by any more shots. A shot drops Ellis in the last round. Villa now lands uppercuts as Ellis is holding him. Ellis tries to defend as Villa is trying his best to stop his opponent. He goes down again as the round and fight end. Ellis landed 165 jabs out of his 268 connected shots. Villa wins via majority decision (113-113, 114-112, 114-112).

11:05 p.m. ET: Round 7 sees Ellis land a series of jabs. Villa with a crushing blow to the body. They trade vicious shots as the round ends. Ellis is now backing up as Villa tries to play catch-up in Round 8. Ellis goes back to the jab in Round 9, and Villa somehow has not attempted to block those shots. Villa with a series of open shots that push Ellis back. The former has looked great the past few rounds. Round 10 sees Ellis get caught by hard blows to the body and head. Villa, now marching forward, has found new life. He lands a big right that pushes Ellis back. 

10:50 p.m. ET: Ellis does the shimmy in Round 4 after avoiding Villa's blows in the corner. Ellis lands a counter right to the face. Now Ellis goes back to the jab, which has not failed him. Villa tries going to the body but Ellis manages to compromise his defensive skills. With each shot Villa hits, Ellis finds a counter. Now Villa is wildly throwing shots, never connecting. The attendance for fight night is announced as 19,731. Round 6 sees Villa act as the aggressor, landing crisp shots in the corner. Ellis counters with the jab. 

10:35 p.m. ET: Ellis uses his jab to push back Villa in the first round. Now he lands hooks to the body as he takes control. Villa manages to find an edge in the corner, but Ellis has good footwork to avoid key blows. Round 2 is more of the same, with Ellis using his jab. Both are now playing it close to the vest. Combination punches from Ellis land. Uppercut by Villa misses while Ellis continues to use his jab to perfection. Ellis lands a left hook in Round 3, and Villa finally lands a right to the body. Both exchange shots by the corner, with Ellis landing the better shots. 

10:20 p.m. ET: Up next is Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa in welterweight action. 

Demetrius Andrade cruises past Demond Nicholson, wins super middleweight debut

10:05 p.m. ET: A push in Round 7 saves Nicholson. Andrade is showing again that he can be lackadaisical when it comes to finishing. His eye is compromised in Round 8 but he still is the leading man. Combinations in the ninth back Nicholson up. Combination hooks in the 10th push Nicholson back. Right hand forces Nicholson's glove to touch the canvas. Andrade won via unanimous decision (100-88, 100-88, 100-88).

9:50 p.m. ET: Nicholson pushes Andrade back in Round 4, but Andrade wouldn't give in. Andrade with combinations. Down goes Andrade in Round 5, but the referee might have cut him some slack. A no-call. Jabs by Nicholson but Andrade fires back. The replay made it seem like a knockdown. Jab by Nicholson lands on Andrade's eye in the sixth, hurting the former champion. Combinations from Andrade land, but Nicholson eggs him on. Andrade smothers Nicholson, who has not landed double-digit blows in any round. 

9:35 p.m. ET: Andrade continues to press forward. Body shots land and then head shots follow. Combination shots knock down Nicholson in Round 2. Round 3 sees Andrade push Nicholson into the ropes. Nicholson is moving back, trying to tire out Andrade. Fast punches by Andrade connect. Nicholson has an injury but the fight continues. Smelling blood, Andrade attacks the body. Hooks now connect. 

9:25 p.m. ET: Right as the bell rings, Andrade lands shots in the corner. Andrade is known for starting hot but then slowing down as the fight goes on. There's a clash of heads early on, forcing the referee to pause the fight. Andrade lands more shots to the body and head, forcing Nicholson into the corner. Counter shots continue to land. Andrade looks crisp to open the fight. 

9:20 p.m. ET: Here comes Demetrius Andrade, the former WBO middleweight champion, ready to compete in a super middleweight bout against Demond Nicholson.

9:08 p.m. ET: Brian Custer brings up Gervonta Davis' domestic violence arrest right as the Showtime PPV broadcast begins. Davis and the woman involved will undergo counseling.

9 p.m. ET: The main card of Davis-Garcia has begun!

Prior to the main card, the YouTube prelims took place:

Kyrone Davis def. Cristian Rios via unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 79-73). 
Keyshawn Williams def. Gustavo Vittori via unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 60-54).
Jalil Hackett def. Joel Guevara via first-round KO (2:22).
Brandun Lee def. Diego Luque via fourth-round stoppage (2:55).
Vito Mielnicki Jr. def. Omar Rosales via fourth-round TKO (0:26).

Hello, and welcome to The Sporting News' coverage of Davis vs. Garcia.

Davis vs. Garcia results

  • Gervonta Davis (c) def. Hector Luis Garcia via ninth-round TKO (0:13) for the WBA (Regular) lightweight title.
  • Jaron Ennis def. Karen Chukhadzhian via unanimous decision (120-108, 120-108, 120-108) for the interim IBF welterweight title.
  • Roiman Villa def. Rashidi Ellis via majority decision (113-113, 114-112, 114-112). 
  • Demetrius Andrade def. Demond Nicholson via unanimous decision (100-88, 100-88, 100-88).

Daniel Yanofsky

Daniel Yanofsky Photo

Daniel Yanofsky is the Combat Sports Editor for The Sporting News since late 2021. Prior to working for TSN, Daniel provided insight on combat sports for Fightful, FIGHT SPORTS, and Wrestling Inc. A proud Ithaca College alum, when he isn’t working on his golf game, Daniel is advocating for three-minute rounds in women's boxing.

You can follow him on Twitter via @DanYanofsky.