As he lay on the canvas, Amir Khan struggled to find his senses as he looked to the right, his foe Danny Garcia, and his body-language signalled victory. He knew he won that golden ticket to the boxing stardom Danny Garcia had entered the world of world class boxing in style. He wasnt meant to win; he was just there to be an after-thought for Amir Khan, merely a paving stone on the road to Floyd Mayweather Jnr. A stone however which proved to be made of granite, a much harder substance than the glass which Danny Garcia broke in Amir Khans chin in the third round. The victory was hard-earned for Danny Garcia; he ate leather from the blitzing hand-speed of Khan for the first two rounds. Combinations rattled against his face like crashing waves in the fiercest storm, Garcia struggled to time Khans jab, yet he stood bravely trading with his much faster-foe, coming off second best every time. When Garcia went back to his corner in round-three, he knew he had to adapt, fortunately overconfidence had crept into Khans system, and he started to trade with Garcia. Only this time Khan was met punch-for-punch, taking fearsome body-shots from the resurgent Garcia, in return for his flurries. From looking bedazzled and outclassed, Garcia had rode out the toughest storm and came back fighting. The crowd sensed something special was in the making and in a split-second Khan was down and almost out. Garcia had landed that money-shot, a left hook that caught Khan clean on the point of chin and neck and Khan crumbled to the canvas in devastating fashion. Khan got up at the count of 9, the legs werent beneath him, his senses were smashed and chin shattered. Khan bravely survived the last 10 seconds of the round and in a half-conscious state to his corner, and meanwhile Garcia was ready to take stardom with both fists. Garcia wasnt a recognised puncher but when round 4 began, he battered Khan around the ring like a ragdoll. Khans courage said yes, but the legs said no, and so did the referee Kenny Bayless, who sensibly stopped the fight. Garcia was the new IBF-Light-welterweight champion. Much like his previous fight against Erik Morales, Danny Garcia had to dig deep against Khan to get the knockout. In the Morales fight he took a sustained beating in rounds 10 and 11 culminating with a badly broken nose, yet he unseated Morales to stem the tide at the end of round 11, to win a points decision. A star wasnt born he was made, this wasnt a fluke. Garcia had shown a warriors spirit and the finishing instinct of a true puncher. People will go on to criticise and berate Khan, but the real story isnt about Khan, its about the performance of Garcia. The 24-year old American of Puerto-Rican descent, certainly showed that you dont need sheer athletic ability to be a champion. The words of boxing expert Al Bernstein summed up Danny Garcia perfectly, he said: Garcia is anyone a boxing fan would want to watch, he is not the most skilled fighter on the planet, and he hits with power and is as tough as can be. Take away the athletic abilities, power, strength, speed, skill, and what you have is mental fortitude, which is what Danny Garcia has in abundance.
