Lamont Roach wrestled away Héctor García’s WBA Super Featherweight Title in his second attempt at a world title belt.
In a highly technical and strategic fight, he dropped García in the twelfth round and won a split decision by scores of 116-111, 114-113, and 113-114.
The knockdown was the difference as Roach avoided a split draw on Saturday with the left hook that landed on the top of García’s head with 1:20 left in the frame and drove García into the canvas for the second time.
Lamont Roach
“Man, I’ve been waiting to hear ‘And the new’ for a long time,” said Roach, who improved to 24-1-1, 9 KOs. “It’s about time, though.
“All I needed was the spotlight. The first time I was a baby – I was 24 years old. Now I’m seasoned. I don’t think anyone can beat me. Nobody.”
On the knockdown that decided the outcome: “We’ve been working on this shot for a long time, that hook,” Roach went on. “I’m the best and want to show I’m the best. Anybody who wants to fight, let me know because I want to fight all of you. There are a lot of cool champions at 130. I’ll take whoever.”
In 2019, Roach came up short in his first title shot against Jamel Herring, also a southpaw. However, he made good on his second attempt.
Meanwhile, García (16-2, 10 KOs) was unsuccessful in his first defense of his WBA championship after he rose in weight.
Lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis stopped him in January when García retired on his stool before the ninth round, complaining of impaired vision.
After feeling each other out for most of the bout, Roach came alive in the eleventh round, hurting García with a right hand.
The blow pushed García into the ropes. The 28-year-old Roach followed up with a right uppercut that also stunned García.
Roach connected on 118 of 490 total punches, a 29% connect rate, compared to 93 of 468 or 20% for Garía, according to CompuBox. Roach also held a 79 to 62 connect advantage in power punches and an edge in jabs 39 to 31.
Rivera
Preceding the pay-per-view, exciting contender Michel Rivera (25-1, 14 KOs) recorded his biggest career win, upsetting former world champion Sergey Lipinets (17-3-1, 13 KOs).
Three scores in their ten-round super lightweight match read 97-93, 97-93, and 96-94.
In his first bout at 140, Rivera was the sharper and more dynamic of the two. His superior hand and foot movement confounded Lipinets, who could never quite catch up to his fleet-footed foe.
Mielnicki
In other streaming action, top prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. dropped Mexico’s Alexis Salazar three times in the first round, causing referee Robert Hoyle to stop the bout at 2:27 of the initial frame in a scheduled ten-round super welterweight attraction.
Salazar was supposed to be perhaps the most formidable opponent of Mielnicki’s career.
Instead, the 21-year-old, with trainer Ronnie Shields in his corner for the first time, was razor shape. He was pinpoint with his punches as he improved to 16-1 with 11 knockouts.
Salazar showed little punch resistance and fell to 25-6 with 10 KOs.
