The WBC welterweight champion needed less than two rounds, not the five he predicted, to knock out Conor Benn on Saturday night in the main event of a Ring and Zuffa Boxing card at T-Mobile Arena. Garcia blasted Benn with a right hand that knocked the British challenger to his gloves and knees 45 seconds into the second round.

Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) answered referee Thomas Taylor’s count at seven and tried to survive as best he could. Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs, 1 NC) swarmed him and unloaded power punches as Benn attempted to withstand his onslaught with his back against the ropes.

Benn slipped several of Garcia’s punches, but Taylor still stepped between them to halt their 12-round, 147-pound championship clash at 1:25 of the second.

“Well, I’ve always had a right hand, but I always had injuries,” Garcia told The Ring’s Max Kellerman after his impressive victory. “So, this is kinda the first two fights I had no injuries on my right hand. And I’m just happy, man. I’m blessed. And I wanna thank Conor for a great buildup, a great match. I respect him.”

Garcia, 28, made his first defense of the WBC welterweight title he won from Mario Barrios on February 21 at T-Mobile Arena. He dropped Barrios with his right hand less than 30 seconds into their bout and won a 12-round unanimous decision.

The Victorville, California native also produced his second straight win Saturday night since Rolando “Rolly” Romero upset him by unanimous decision in May 2025 in the main event of a Ring card at Times Square in New York.

Benn, 29, lost inside the distance for the first time in 27 professional fights.

The Ilford, England resident’s only loss prior to Saturday night was a 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to British rival Chris Eubank Jr. in April 2025 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Benn, the son of British legend Nigel Benn, avenged that setback by dropping Eubank twice and winning a unanimous decision in their immediate rematch November 15 at the same venue.

Benn boxed at the welterweight limit against Garcia for the first time since April 2022. He called dropping down to 146 pounds, his official weight Friday morning, an excruciating experience and posted a video on social media that indicated he was 30-plus pounds heavier approximately 12 hours later.

Benn didn’t take punches against Garcia, who was more than a 3-1 favorite, as well as he did when he battled Eubank.

A fidgety Garcia’s left hook knocked Benn off balance less than 20 seconds into their opening round. That didn’t deter Benn from moving forward to get inside on the taller, faster fighter.

Benn paid for that aggression in the following round.

Garcia quickly turned his attention to newly crowned WBA champ Teofimo Lopez after he beat Benn.

“Teofimo, get that ass up here,” Garcia said. “Where you at? Unified time. Where you at, Teofimo?”

Security personnel prevented Lopez, who beat Romero by unanimous decision August 22 at T-Mobile Arena, from entering the ring.

“If he wanna get crazy, we could get crazy,” Garcia said. “It really don’t matter. I’ll beat your ass right now.”