Authored by Sean Crose
The PBC broadcast team noted that the bout between Erislandy Lara and Danny Garcia for Lara’s WBA middleweight title in Vegas might have been more captivating years ago. Though lacking excitement, the match was still interesting and different from what spectators expected.
The early rounds were slow, as anticipated given the age of the fighters. Lara used his left-handed jab to chip away at Garcia in the second round. By the third round, Lara’s display of skills proved his determination to secure a victory. Despite the lack of intense exchanges, Lara maintained control and seemed at ease with the fight’s tempo. The audience grew restless at times, but Lara remained focused on denying Garcia any chances for counterattacks.
Garcia tried to step up his output in the fifth round without swaying the judges in his favor. Lara continued to outperform Garcia in the sixth, emphasizing his speed advantage. Lara’s demonstration of boxing prowess dominated the fight. Garcia appeared to struggle for ideas in the seventh, a credit to Lara’s expertise, resulting in a less action-packed match.
In the eighth round, Garcia landed some effective body shots, but his lackluster performance indicated the need for more aggression. The audience’s impatience grew in the ninth as Lara maintained control. Garcia was knocked down towards the round’s end, leading his corner to halt the fight. Garcia’s disappointing showing left fans pondering what went awry.
“I aimed for greatness,” Garcia remarked post-fight. “Tonight wasn’t my night. No excuses.”
