Sports

Boxing: Garcia Grabs Belt, and Much Needed Win

Published

7 years ago

March 1, 2020

Mikey Garcia knocks down Jessie Vargas in the fifth round during their WBC Welterweight Diamond Championship bout at The Ford Center at The Star on February 29, 2020 in Frisco, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP

FRISCO, Tx. (FNN SPORTS) – Late Saturday night, The Ford Center pumped with excitement and anticipation of the return of one of boxing’s premier fighters, Mikey Garcia. With a seemingly sold out venue and pro-Garcia crowd, the big questions on everyone’s mind was how would Garcia bounce back after his first loss? And could he prove he belong in a division that seems just a one size too big?

For Jesse Vargas, the question was simple: Can you finally take that step in your career to beat a top contender and get a defining win that puts you over the hump of being labeled “opponent”?

Both men came out focused, but Garcia’s body tightened, once again looking uncomfortable with his opponent. Garcia, known for his rhythm, timing, and great angles, looked out of sorts and took some big shots. Vargas pressed early, fighting with a controlled chaos, determined to take the fight to Garcia. After most of the first three rounds, Vargas was in control, and it seemed like Mikey once again bit off more than he could chew.

By the forth round, however, Garcia seemed to find his timing. His jab landed more effectively setting up his right, and he was moving a lot better, avoiding some of those big punches he was previously taking. It seemed that for every punch Vargas scored, Garcia tried to respond with two or three more of his own, making for an exciting round as both men traded punches.

The tables turned in round five. Garcia used some serious clout to floor and all but finish Vargas, landing multiple hooks to Vargas’ head. It was as if that was what Garcia had been searching for–proof that he could hurt one of these guys, and it gave him all the confidence he needed as he returned into prime Garcia form, pressuring, stalking and punishing Vargas with some heavy blows as he piled up winning rounds. Vargas rallied late, making the fight a bit more interesting, but it wasn’t enough. Mikey Garcia won a unanimous decision victory (114-113, 116-111, 116-111) and gained the WBC Dimond belt.

In what was a decent fight to watch, Garcia did exactly what he was supposed to do, and to Vargas’s credit, so did he. The problem with this fight wasn’t that Garcia looked bad in victory. He didn’t. He actually looked pretty good at points. But therein lies the problem–he looked good at points against a guy who is not great, and he didn’t look complete. It’s hard to remember a time when Garcia, especially over the course of the last two fights, took so many hard punches. In combination with no head movement, and just looking a step behind Saturday night, it’s very possible that whoever Garcia’s next opponent is will once again be too much for him to handle.

This welterweight division is the most stacked division in boxing. The amount of talent in this class, not to mention who can come up from 135, has a lot of boxing fans excited for how this landscape will play out. There was a lot of talk about a potential showdown with living legend and WBA Super Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) as Garcia’s next move. But if camp Garcia really wants to cash in on the welterweight cow, it might be smart to look elsewhere first because at this point I cannot see Garcia out-pointing Pacquiao anytime soon.

______________________________________________

Antonio Campana is a Florida National News sports contributor. | sports@floridanationalnews.com

Related Topics:#AntonioCampana #FNNSports #GarciavsVargas FNN

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LIV Golf to begin winding down operations Nov. 9 after five years, $5 billion spent

Published

2 days ago

November 7, 2026

FNN SPORTS

LIV Golf sign in a landscaped setting in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News

NEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.

Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.

“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.

LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.

Basketball

USF Women’s Basketball Opens Season With 80–54 Victory Over Furman

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.

The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.

A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.

Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls

Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.

A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry

The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.

Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:

“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”

— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.

South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.

– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

Central Florida News

USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season

Published

6 days ago

November 3, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

C.J. Hicks (#1) USF defensive end lines up before the snap during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory over UAB at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

Defense Turns the Game Around

UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.

Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.

Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.

Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.

South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.

Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum

Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.

Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.

Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.

Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.

Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone

With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.

The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.

The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.

Looking Ahead

USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.

Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10