Danny Garcia needed to learn about himself. Nine months between fights can create some questions.
After 12 rounds at the Barclays Center in New York, he proved to everyone he is the same as he ever was.
Garcia on Saturday overcame a bite on his left shoulder and earned a 12-round unanimous decision over a frustrated Ivan Redkach.
Photo: AP
“He bit me,” Garcia said. “He said: ‘Mike Tyson’ when he bit me. I said: ‘Ref, he bit me.’ I thought I needed stitches or something. That’s my first time ever getting bit in a fight.”
Judges Glenn Feldman and Don Trella scored the fight 117-111, while Anthony Paolillo scored it 118-110.
Garcia improved to 36-2 with his second straight win. He last fought on April 20 last year when he knocked out Adrian Grandos.
“I thought the referee [Benjy Esteves] was [going to] stop it because I felt like I was punishing him,” Garcia said. “He’s a tough guy, he hung in there. I wanted to get the [knockout], but I didn’t get it. I feel like I boxed smart, and I feel like that’s what I needed after this layoff. I really wanted the knockout bad, but I’ll accept this.”
“I’m going to get back in the gym, and get stronger and better,” Redkach said. “I’m thankful for the experience against Danny Garcia. I’m going to be back and be much better.”
Having been methodically picked apart, Redkach was reduced to biting Garcia on his shoulder during a clinch in the eighth round.
After the victory, the question which will be asked of Garcia is: Who is next?
Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Jr, Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter were mentioned to Garcia at a news conference on Thursday last week.
Garcia said that he is open to fights against any of the four, specifically mentioning Pacquiao and Spence, whose drunk-driving accident on Oct. 10 last year in Dallas postponed a potential bout.
“Manny’s been saying he wants to fight me for the last two years. It hasn’t happened,” Garcia said at the news conference. “Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence, or anybody who wants to fight me, I’m here. Let’s get it on.”
He did not back away from those words after the fight.
“Either [Spence or Pacquiao],” Garcia said. “Either of those fights I would like to have. My style looks great with both fighters.”
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