NEW YORK – Their bout started at 10:09 p.m. Saturday, Danny Garcia with a career ahead of him, and Paulie Malignaggi with a career to save.
Their contrasting styles, personalities, and career arcs clashed at the Barclays Center on Saturday night, and Garcia won by technical knockout in the ninth round.
Garcia, the undefeated 27-year-old, was looking to punch his way closer to superstardom. Malignaggi, grizzled at 34, was looking to, if just for one night, disprove the prevailing opinion that he should have retired 16 months ago. Garcia (31-0, 18 KOs) is humbly quiet outside of the ring but employs brute force inside it. Malignaggi (33-7, seven KOs) is as animated as any fighter, and his results hinge on his boxing IQ.
In Garcia’s first fight in the 147-pound welterweight division, headlining the card for Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN, the North Philadelphia native dominated with power punches the entire way.
Garcia’s last two fights were between 147 and 140, and he won by a questionable mixed decision and a second-round knockout criticized as too easy. Malignaggi fought Shawn Porter for the IBF welterweight title in April 2014, lost by technical knockout, and heavily considered hanging up his gloves for good.
Then circumstances led to Saturday’s fight, with Garcia looking to get his feet wet as a welterweight and Malignaggi intrigued by the opportunity to fight in his hometown of Brooklyn, where his career started in 2007.
Malignaggi came out aggressive, dropping his head and attacking Garcia with quick combinations to the body. Garcia countered with big left hooks, but Malignaggi turned them into empty threats by ducking out of the way.
As Malignaggi’s reactions slowed down in the next few rounds, Garcia started landing more power punches and took full control of the fight.
It went on this way, with Garcia connecting on his share of hooks, and Malignaggi limping to his corner after each round. When Garcia landed a right jab at the end of a three-punch combination 40 seconds into the ninth round, Malignaggi stumbled into the ropes, and the referee called the fight with Malignaggi in his arms.
Angel Garcia, Danny Garcia’s father and trainer, casually raised his arms in the blue corner. Danny Garcia hugged Malignaggi before the two took a lap around the ring with their arms linked. Then Garcia stepped away as Malignaggi was checked out, and he looked almost the same as he did when the fight began.
Unfazed. Unblemished. And, above all else, undefeated.
