Keith Thurman beats Danny Garcia by split decision to unify welterweight titles – as it happened

Here are the official scores from tonight’s fight. I count only five rounds where all three judges were in agreement: the first, fifth, sixth, eighth and 10th.

John McKaie scores it 116-112 to Thurman, Kevin Morgan has it 115-113 to Garcia ... and Joseph Pasquale has it 115-113 to Thurman!

Keith Thurman has unified the WBC and WBA welterweight titles on a split decision and Danny Garcia has suffered his first defeat in 34 professional fights!

Garcia comes out the aggressor, knowing he needs something special here in the final frame. Thurman picks up where he left off circling and moving but can’t seem to catch the elusive target. Big chants of “Dan-ny! Dan-ny!” as they urge their man on. Garcia catching Thurman with a body shot here and a body shot there and Thurman pecks away upstairs, but nothing that’s seriously changing the fight. Garcia traps Thurman momentarily and tries to unload but Thurman excapes. Now he gets him up against the ropes once more but Thurman slips out the back door. Thurman making Garcia miss wildly. There’s the final bell and Thurman raises his arms to the sky and Garcia makes his way back to the corner less confident in the result.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 114-114 Garcia)

Feels like Thurman has taken his foot off the gas here a bit, though Garcia hasn’t been able to catch him with anything big. Boos from the crowd directed toward Thurman. “Keep running! Keep running!” one fan cries from near ringside. Garcia looking to cut off the ring but can’t seem to trap the elusive target, try as he might. Barring something big late from Thurman, this will be a Garcia round. Lots of circling and moving from Thurman. My card seems to be a lot closer than what I’m seeing from my colleagues at ringside.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 105-104 Garcia)

Thurman lands the first big shot of the round but Garcia responds with a sharp combination to the body followed by a counter right upstairs as Thurman rushes in. Chants of “Dan-ny! Dan-ny! Dan-ny!” cascade down from the mezzanine. Probably the best round of the night for Garcia, who had success as aggressor and counter-puncher and boxed beautifully.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 96-94 Garcia)

Garcia starting to look frustrated while Thurman looks focused. His speed has been the difference but Thurman’s boxing ability is winning him rounds – giving him just that little extra that’s putting him past Garcia in the close ones. The fighters trade hellfire over the last 10 seconds or so, neither clearly getting the better of the exchanges. Another close one for Thurman and Garcia will need something special in the final three frames.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 87-84 Garcia)

Thurman doubling up the jab and keeping it squarely in Garcia’s face. Garcia starting to think twice a bit on the counters that were working well for him earlier. Many of Garcia’s signature wins (e.g. Khan, Matthysse) came when his opponents finally walked into the traps he patiently set, but Thurman to his credit is not accommodating. Garcia not putting his punches together and lulls in the action seem to occur when Thurman decides to sit about and not lead. Thurman clearly looking more comfortable and increasingly in control.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 77-75 Garcia)

Garcia looking more settled early but Thurman lands a big right upstairs to open the action. Then another less cleanly, but Garcia counters with a vicious left to the stomach. What exchanges! Thurman throwing and landing more, just a bit more consistent on the attack. Garcia not landing enough to score and he’s abandoned the jab. An easy round for Thurman, who is better when he’s busy and gives Garcia something to think about.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 67-66 Garcia)

Garcia with his best combination of the night in the sixth followed by solid counter shots to the body. Not much else during a quiet round. Thurman connects with a lunging right at the bell that may have done enough to nick it, but we’ll give it to Garcia on the 1-2 combination and superior defense. Feels like the momentum still belongs to Thurman, but it’s all even on our card.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 57-57 Garcia)

Garcia still fighting off the back foot looking to leverage Thurman’s aggression against him, but Thurman snaps Garcia’s head back with a lunging right. Then another one! A bit of a quiet round after four action-filled frames. Now Garcia traps Thurman against the ropes and unloads but can’t land cleanly. Thurman circling his opponent and moving incredibly well, outboxing the man thought to be the superior boxer for stretches. But Garcia continues to score with counters and spots of body work. This was a swing round that could legitimately go either way. We’ll tip it to Garcia.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 48-47 Garcia)

Garcia has had his moments in every round so far, Thurman is just having more of them. Garcia is scoring with counters early but then he lunges in and he’s caught flush again upstairs by a compact left hook from Thurman, who is looking more and more comfortable. Garcia pecking away with counter shots and I think he’s done enough to take his first round of the night. At least one other famous welterweight likes what he sees.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 9-10 Garcia (Thurman 39-37 Garcia)

Thurman lands another massive shot flush upstairs that Garcia absorbs with no outward effect but, golly, there’s no way these shots aren’t taking a toll. Garcia is scoring with counters and clearly sitting back and looking to land a big one, but Thurman is starting to control the pace of this fight. And he’s taken the first three rounds on our unofficial card. Early days, but can Angel Garcia coax something more from his charge in the corner?

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 30-27 Garcia)

A solid round for Garcia, who handled the pressure well in the first round but is doing an even better job here. These guys are loading up on their shots and throwing with bad intentions. I’d be surprised to see this one go the distance. Thurman is throwing the bigger shots and landing a few of them, but Garcia is showing he’s the better boxer and scoring in spots. Thurman does enough in the last minute to steal it but it was a far closer frame than the first.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 20-18 Garcia)

Thurman comes out as the aggressor while Garcia fights deftly off the back foot. So much for a feeling-out period! Thurman is really taking the fight to Garcia early, throwing a series of lunging shots. Garcia is caught with heat-seeking left flush to the jaw and absorbs it well initially but it’s hurt him! He’s reeling backward. Garcia hurt badly in the opening round but he definitely had his moments and Thurman must be mindful to not get overzealous lest he be caught with Garcia’s famed counter hook.

Guardian’s unofficial score: Thurman 10-9 Garcia (Thurman 10-9 Garcia)