Best Reaction from Gervonta Davis' Win vs. Hector Luis Garcia

Gervonta "Tank" Davis (28-0, 26 KO) picked up a TKO win over Hector Luis Garcia (16-1, 10 KO) after Garcia did not answer the bell going into the ninth round in the first major boxing event of 2023 from the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.

While Garcia put forth a valiant effort, he couldn't keep up with the power of Davis, who landed several clean blows in the eighth round.

Tank has one of the best knockout ratios in boxing, and analysts and fighters alike were impressed with the stoppage win.

Legendary trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas Jr. reminded us that Davis' game isn't just about pure power. He's an expert at setting up his fight-changing punches.

Of course, setting up those counters can take time. The fight got off to a pretty inauspicious start, with neither fighter throwing much volume in the early rounds.

Garcia's performance received a mixed bag of reactions.

There were those who applauded his toughness and willingness to hang in the pocket with such a dangerous puncher:

Others wondered if Garcia's ability to frustrate Davis early in the fight might be a blueprint for someone like Ryan Garcia to exploit later:

But two-time welterweight Shawn Porter felt like Garcia wasted a prime opportunity to make his run at the upset early in the fight:

Outside of the slow-burning buildup to the finish, one of the most interesting things to happen occurred outside of the ring. The action was paused due to an altercation in the crowd:

The little break ended up being the precursor to the end of the fight. When the referee resumed the fight, Davis opened up his repertoire to finish the bout.

Davis will have to begin prepping for an even bigger challenge soon. A bout with fellow undefeated fighter Ryan Garcia is reportedly in the works, and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated noted that April is the targeted month for the blockbuster.

Garcia weighed in after the fight with a specific date in mind:

It's one of the biggest fights on the calendar. The 24-year-old Garcia and 28-year-old Davis are both in their primes and working their way towards superstar status in the sport.

This win from Tank will add to the hype for the showcase fight.