Story by John DiSanto and Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside
Photo: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

By Fightnews.com

“Swift” Danny Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs) cleared the way for his much anticipated March fight with Keith “One Time” Thurman by scoring a solid seventh round stoppage of Samuel Vargas (25-3-1. 13 KOs) in the Liacouras Center at Temple University on Saturday night.

Garcia sent Vargas somersaulting to the canvas with a chopping right on the chin in the closing seconds of the second round. Vargas reached his feet at the count of nine and the bell sounded to end the round before an further damge could be done.

The highly favored Danny “Swift” Garcia continued to find his mark with the right hands up top as Vargas kept his hands locked on his chest in the second round.

Vargas was game though, but Garcia mixed up his game plan in the third round, mixing in hooks to the body.

The power of Garcia continued to assert itself as he sat down on his body shots early in the fifth. Vargas returned the favor at the two mark with two hooks of his own. Garcia would not be deterred and forced Vargas to the ropes and snapped his head up as the round came to a close.

Garcia showed his defensive prowess in the opening moments of the sixth as he eluded a four punch combination. In mid round Garcia rocked Vargas with a right hand. Vargas was spending more time with his back to the ropes as Garcia popped him with hard single shots during the final minute of the round.

Finally, in the seventh round Garcia pinned him against the ropes and solid one two had him hurt and covering. Referee Gary Rosato had seen enough and stepped and called a halt to the contest at 2:17 of the seventh round for the TKO victory.