American Gervonta Davis defended his WBA “regular” lightweight title by stopping Hector Luis Garcia after eight rounds in Washington.
Davis, 28, extended his record to 28-0 with 26 knockouts and is set to face fellow American Ryan Garcia in April.
After a slow start, Davis began to assert herself in the middle rounds.
The eighth round was briefly stopped due to an altercation in the crowd, but when it restarted Davis unleashed a flurry of punches.
The previously unbeaten Garcia did not come down from his stool for ninth and the Dominican, 31, was heard saying at his corner “I don’t see”.
Davis said he was “surprised” Garcia didn’t make the ninth, adding: “I knew he was hurt, he was very hurt.
“He’s a fighter, so he didn’t want to show it.”
He added: “I knew I caught him good, I didn’t know I caught him like that where I thought he wasn’t going to come out in the ring…but I knew I was sure. the point of knocking him out.”
Speaking about facing Ryan Garcia, he said things are “going in the right direction”, while Garcia tweeted: “No more talks let’s go.”
