LAS VEGAS – Lamont Roach made the most of his second 130-pound world title shot Saturday night.

Roach out-pointed Hector Luis Garcia by split decision to take the WBA super featherweight title from the Dominican southpaw at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena. Roach hurt Garcia in the 11th round, was credited with a questionable knockdown in the 12th round and won their competitive championship clash on the scorecards of judges Max De Luca (114-113) and Robert Hoyle (116-111) in Showtime Pay-Per-View’s opener on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade undercard.

Judge Tim Cheatham scored their fight for Garcia, 114-113.

Their fight would’ve been declared a split draw if not for the knockdown referee Tony Weeks credited Roach with scoring just after the halfway point of the 12th round. Roach appeared to send Garcia to the canvas by hitting him on the back of his head.

Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs), who was the mandatory challenger for Rivera’s title, recorded the biggest victory of his career after losing his first title fight four years ago. The 28-year-old Upper Marlboro, Maryland resident was beaten by Jamel Herring, then the WBO junior lightweight champion, in a 12-rounder that was held in November 2019 at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California.

Garcia (16-2-1, 10 KOs, 3 NC) lost a second straight fight. The 32-year-old former champion fought for the first time since Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) stopped him early in the ninth round of their fight for Davis’ WBA world lightweight title January 7 at Captial One Arena in Washington, D.C.

After taking two left hands from Garcia, Roach taunted the former champion and scored the abovementioned debatable knockdown just after the halfway point of the 12th round. Garcia indicated to referee Tony Weeks that he had been hit behind his head once he quickly reached his feet.

Roach rocked Garcia with his right hand, which made Garcia stumble backward with just under 1:25 on the clock in the 11th round. A staggered Garcia courageously took more flush punches from Roach and fired back with hard shots of his own to prevent Roach from finishing him.

Roach caught Garcia with a left hook that drew a loud response from the crowd at the midway mark of the 10th round. Garcia’s left knocked Roach backward about 10 seconds into the 10th round.

Roach’s right landed in an exchange with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the ninth round.

Roach made Garcia pay for some showboating when he landed a right hand just before the bell sounded to end the eighth round.

Garcia’s left landed to Roach’s body during an exchange with just under 1:20 on the clock in the eighth round. Roach landed back-to-back left hooks about 45 seconds into the eighth round.

Garcia gained some momentum toward the end of the seventh round, when he landed left hands and jabs as Roach pressed forward. Garcia’s right hook turned Roach around several seconds after the midway mark of the seventh round.

Garcia landed a left to Roach’s body with 25 seconds remaining in the sixth round and then quickly came back up top with a right hook that knocked Roach off balance.

Garcia landed two lefts to Roach’s body within a 15-second span during the final minute of the fifth round. Roach caught Garcia with a left hook to his head early in the fifth round of what was a very competitive fight.

Roach caught Garcia with a right up top with about 35 seconds on the clock in the fourth round. Garcia’s left landed in an exchange that occurred with just under 1:40 on the clock in the fourth round.

Roach backed Garcia into a neutral corner and landed a left hook to the side of his head with less than five seconds to go in the third round. Roach’s right landed to Garcia’s body with about 1:10 to go in the third round.

A counter left by Garcia stopped Roach from coming forward with five seconds to go in the second round.

Garcia’s right hook turned Roach around and made him fall into the ropes with just under 1:40 on the clock in the second round. Roach’s right connected several seconds before Garcia landed that left.

Previously, Garcia’s left landed less than 10 seconds into the second round.

Roach threw right hands to Garcia’s body during the first round, but neither fighter was especially effective in the opening three minutes. Garcia landed two lefts to Roach’s body during the final 10 seconds of the first round, but Roach partially blocked those shots.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.