Boxing

Mike Tyson treatment: Danny Garcia gets bitten in win

Danny Garcia packed a punch.

Ivan Redkach apparently should have packed a snack.

Garcia devoured Redkach to the tune of a 12-round unanimous decision in their welterweight fight at Barclays Center — but not before things took a bizarre turn.

In a scene reminiscent of Mike Tyson chomping on Evander Holyfield’s ear during their 1997 fight, Redkach bit Garcia on his left shoulder during a tie-up in the eighth round.

Redkach apparently even called his snack.

“He bit me,” Garcia said. “He said, ‘Mike Tyson,’ when he bit me. I said, ‘Ref, he bit me.’ I thought I needed stitches or something.

Danny Garcia punches Ivan Redkach during his 12-round unanimous decision victory on Saturday night.
Danny Garcia punches Ivan Redkach during his 12-round unanimous decision victory on Saturday night.AP

“That’s my first time ever getting bit in a fight.”

As for the actual use of hands, Garcia’s pressure and power forced Redkach into fighting a defensive style. Redkach spent much of the fight backing up or against the ropes and Garcia took full advantage. He opened a cut over Redkach’s right eye with a hook in the seventh, then staggered the Ukranian with a shot in the eighth.

“I thought the referee [Benjy Esteves] was [going to] stop it because I felt like I was punishing him,” Garcia said. “He’s a tough guy. he hung in there. I wanted to get the [knockout], but I didn’t get it. I feel like I boxed smart, and I feel like that’s what I needed. I really wanted the knockout bad, but I’ll accept this.”

Garcia, who is hungry to face bigger opponents next, improved to 36-2, while Redkach dropped to 23-5-1.

Garcia could be lined for a fight against Manny Pacquiao, the WBA welterweight champ, or Errol Spence Jr., who owns the IBF and WBC belts but has been recovering from a car accident last October.

“Either [Spence or Pacquiao],” Garcia said. “Either of those fights I would like to have. My style looks great with both fighters.”

— With AP