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HIGHLIGHTS | Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas

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Mikey Garcia reclaims his momentum at welterweight with a decisive unanimous decision victory over Jessie Vargas.

On February 29, 2020, at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Mikey Garcia secured a unanimous decision victory over Jessie Vargas in a 12-round welterweight contest. The judges returned scorecards of 116-111, 116-111, and 114-113, validating Garcia’s return to form following his 2019 defeat to Errol Spence Jr.

• Garcia landed 151 of 478 total punches, including 96 of 217 power shots, according to CompuBox data.
• A pivotal fifth-round knockdown, sparked by a crisp left jab followed by a sharp right hand, shifted the fight’s momentum permanently in Garcia’s favor.

The Strategic Shift in the Welterweight Bout

The fight began with Jessie Vargas leveraging his natural size and reach to dictate the tempo, leading to early speculation regarding Garcia’s viability at the 147-pound limit. Vargas initially controlled the distance, keeping Garcia on the outside. However, the dynamics altered abruptly in the fifth round when Garcia successfully breached Vargas’ defenses.

According to CompuBox, Garcia landed 151 of 478 total punches, including 96 of 217 power shots.

Following the fifth-round knockdown, Garcia effectively closed the distance and maintained sustained pressure throughout the middle and late stages of the bout. While Vargas acknowledged post-fight that he had underestimated Garcia’s power, he remained competitive, repeatedly trading exchanges despite the deficit on the scorecards.

Future Aspirations in the Division

This victory serves as a critical boxing and MMA performance for Garcia, proving his ability to compete against larger welterweights. In his post-fight assessment, Garcia signaled his intent to remain at 147 pounds to pursue high-profile opportunities. He specifically identified a bout against Manny Pacquiao or a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. as primary objectives.

Garcia now turns his attention toward securing a summer date against a marquee name like Pacquiao, banking on his refined timing and newfound comfort in the weight class to earn a major title shot.