Ryan Garcia marches from early knockdown and knocks down Luke Campbell with a body shot for a decisive victory

There are questions for all potential boxing superstars. Can you handle a real step in the opposition? Can you handle real suffering? Will you find a way to climb off the canvas and succeed? Those questions are loud and big. Ryan Garcia asked each of those questions against Luke Campbell in Dallas on Saturday, and scored a body shot knockout in the seventh round of their fight for the interim WBC Lightweight Championship.

Garcia took control with aggression early in the fight, pushing his own hard left hooks and straight right hand to land via Campbell’s jab. Garcia’s hand speed made Campbell suffer and could not establish a clear attacking game plan. But, in Round 2, Campbell landed a large left hook, which shook Garcia’s head and dropped 22-year-old Prodigy on canvas.

Garcia took himself off the canvas and fought his way to the end of the second round, composing himself in the corner before immediately regaining control of the fight and piling up rounds on the scorecards.

“I have never given up in my life,” Garcia said after the fight. “This time I think I’d got a little excited. I knew I was in control. I wanted him to rule the dog. I wanted him to explode. He exploded at me. … I fainted a little. I’m not going to lie. But it’s not bad.

At the end of the 5th round Garcia looked close to reaching a stop, landing a large left hook and right upper, which caused Campbell to stumble on the ropes. Garcia was saved by Campbell Bell before the chase, but before Garcia’s pressure, speed and power things were over he realized it was only a matter of time.

In round 7, Garcia closed the show and landed with a broken left hook on the body. Campbell took a knee after a late reaction, but could not get back on his feet as the referee’s number reached 10, giving Garcia a knockout victory at 1:58 in the round.

Garcia boxing has been criticized by some corners of the world for its classic (good looks and advertising hype) and modern (the status of a social media “influence”). The fight with Campbell, a former Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion, has been hanging around the division’s elite for years, with many of those critics considering the competition for the young star too big to go one step further. Campbell did not stop at his three previous losses, including fighting back when Vasily Lomasenko was knocked down, giving Garcia a nice feather in his cap.

The rising Mexican-American star was overwhelmed by the feeling that she had to close those doubts during her post-fight interview.

“I think I showed a lot of people who I really am,” Garcia said. “Going into this fight, I wanted to show people that no matter what they call you, they like to call me a ‘social media fighter’ and so on. Your teacher can call you things, even your parents, and tell you that you can not become anything if you try to keep anyone. Remember, people do not tell you who you are. You choose who you are. Tonight I chose to be a champion. I’m not going to let anything stop me. He got up. I got up. It’s a good shot. ‘Yo, I’m abandoned, this is crazy.’

The lightweight division is the most exciting of all boxers. Young stars Tefimo Lopez, Kervonda “Tank” Davis and Devin Hane are in control for 135 pounds. Despite all the accomplishments such as Lopez defeating Lopasenko to win three of the four recognized World Championships, Garcia may still be the most influential man on and off the ring in terms of his stellar power.

With the ability to call his shot, Garcia said he just wanted to fight Honey, but zeroed in on Davis as the best option to move forward.

“I am the man of my word,” Garcia said. “Let’s go, tank. Let’s go. I see you, Devin Hane. I like him. I want to fight with him too. But I really want to fight the tank. I know people care about that, but I’m ready. I fought with an Olympic gold medalist. Lomasenko could not stop him. Linares could not finish him. I showed today that I was special. “

Fight card, results

• Ryan Garcia Def. Luke Campbell via TKO – Round 7 to seek WBC Interim Lightweight title
• Roger Guterres Def. Renே Alvarado (C) won the WBA (regular) Super Featherweight title by a unanimous decision (113-112, 113-112, 113-112).
• Felix Alvarado (e) Def. DKO – DJ Creel via Round 10 to retain IPF Junior Flyweight title
• Raul Curiel Def. TKO – Ramses Agadan via Round 2
• Sean Garcia Def. Renே Marquez by majority decision (38-38, 39-37, 39-37)

Garcia vs. Campbell scorecard, live coverage