Lara stops Garcia in 9th round to retain 160 world title in snoozer
Plant TKOs McCumby to claim interim 168 belt; Romero routs Jaimes; Fulton ekes out debatable decision over Castro in 126 debut
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LAS VEGAS — Erislandy Lara stopped Danny Garcia at the end of the ninth round to retain the WBA middleweight title in an otherwise sleep-inducing bout that served as the co-feature of the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga super middleweight championship fight on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
The crowd was booing and restless during the passionless bout in which Lara ultimately retained the 160-pound belt for the third time and remained, at age 41, the oldest active world titleholder in boxing.
“I used lateral movement with a long jab to land my big shots, just like you learn at the Cuban school of boxing,” Lara said through an interpreter. “I’m ready for the next challenge. I’m here to stay. I have a lot of boxing left in me.”
Garcia, a former unified junior welterweight champion and welterweight titlist, was coming off a two-year layoff and fighting at middleweight for the first time after having had only one previous fight at junior middleweight in his last bout.
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