BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Danny “Swift “ Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) looked sharp with a crushing second-round knockout victory over “Lighting” Rod Salka (19-4, 3 KOs) in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event in front of 7,012 fans Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Garcia knocked Salka down twice before laying his challenger flat on his back with a powerful left hook with 29 seconds left in the second round to secure the knockout victory.
Garcia, of Philadelphia, showed his skills outpunching his opponent, landing 52 percent of his power punches, 24 percent of his jabs and 43 percent of his total punches. Salka, of Bunola, Penn., landed only 14 percent of his punches.
After his victory, Garcia spoke with SHOWTIME ringside reporter Jim Gray.
"I came here to purge. I told everybody tonight was going to be the ‘Danny Garcia Show.’ No matter who I fought tonight, they were going to get beat. I was going to purge. I was out to kill.
“I didn't think this was going to be an easy fight. I thought he'd try to box me. But it is not about the opponent. When I am at my best I can beat anybody and I already proved that.”
On a potential matchup with Lamont Peterson…“I leave it up to Al Haymon, but if he [Peterson] wants it. I'll give it to him. I show up fight night and sometimes I have good nights or bad nights, but I always find a way to win.”
SHOWTIME analyst Paulie Malignaggi on the fight…"He's not going to get a lot of credit because of the opponent. But for those that really know boxing, you can see that Danny Garcia was very sharp tonight. Punching well, moving and defending very well. He looked sharp and would have given anyone a tough time tonight.”
After the fight Salka said, “I’m good. It wasn’t a tougher fight than I expected. I got caught with a shot. What am I going to do?”
