By Chris LaBate
Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City - A battle of unbeaten young featherweights saw Mikey Garcia (25-0, 21KOs) stop Matt Remillard (23-1, 13KOs) in ten rounds. Garcia became the NABF/NABO champion with the win.
Garcia had a strong first round with the bigger punches being landed during the exchages and using a stiff left jab. Remillard pushed forward in the second. He was still getting hit with the bigger punches coming in. Remillard had a good defense, holding his hands up high and blocking a lot of the punches being thrown. Remillard had a better third with his body punches and a good left jab of his own.
Some of the rounds were close, while others had Garcia clearly doing the better work. In the eight, Garcia hurt Remillard in the final ten seconds. There wasn't enough time to follow-up. In the ninth, Garcia went back to his hard stalking punches and knocked Remillard down with a left hook. Garcia jumped on him and continue to unload the combinations until a huge left hand sent Remillard down again in the final ten seconds.
Garcia went right after Remillard at the start of the tenth and he was unloading with punches from every direction. A combination dropped Remillard down hard in the final minute. Remillard was unsteady on his feet. He was able to make it to the bell, but his corner stepped in and stopped it before the start of the eleventh.