Los Angeles Times

Garcia stops Rios with ninth-round knockout

Benavidez remains undefeated by beating Gavril in the rematch.

- staff and wire reports

Danny Garcia knocked out Brandon Rios in the ninth round Saturday night in Las Vegas in a World Boxing Council welterweig­ht title eliminator.

Garcia improved to 34-1 with the 20th KO of his career in front of a crowd at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Rios fell to 34-4-1.

In the co-main event, WBC super-middleweig­ht champion David Benavidez won a dominant decision in his rematch with Ronald Gavril.

Benavidez improved to 20-0 with 17 KOs. Gavril fell to 18-3.

Groves retains belt

George Groves retained the WBA super middleweig­ht belt when he outsmarted Chris Eubank Jr. by unanimous decision in England’s Manchester Arena.

Groves, who has fought in more big fights, used distance wisely to pick and choose his moments. However, he appeared to have a shoulder injury at the end, which could hamper his preparatio­n for the final of the World Boxing Super Series in June, against Callum Smith or Jurgen Brahmer.

Eubank was cut above the right eye in the third round from an apparent accidental clash of heads, and it bothered him for the rest of the fight. He maintained his record of never being knocked down but when he took a knee in the 10th round Groves was frustrated there was no count.

Eubank’s stamina was expected to be superior but he tired through the middle rounds and finished with a desperate flourish and careless abandon. He relinquish­ed his minor IBO belt after the judges awarded the shrewd Groves the decision by 117-112, 116-112, and 115-113.

Groves improved his record to 28-3 (20 KOs) with his second defense of the WBA belt he took from Fedor Chudinov last May.

Eubank suffered his second defeat in 28 fights.

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