ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – Moses Johnson pulled off an upset Friday night in what was the toughest fight of his four-year pro career.

Johnson withstood Elvis Garcia’s power and activity to beat the Mexican heavyweight prospect on two scorecards and won an eight-round majority decision. Judges Jacklyn Atkins (77-75) and Joseph Pasquale (77-75) scored their back-and-forth fight for Johnson, who fought off fatigue in the later rounds to remain competitive with the aggressive Garcia.

Judge Mark Consentino scored their encounter even, 76-76, but Johnson, of Huntington, New York, improved to 9-0-1 (7 KOs) in the action-packed opener of a “ShoBox: The New Generation” tripleheader Showtime aired from Bally’s Grand Ballroom. Garcia (12-1, 9 KOs) hadn’t fought in 14 months, in part due to a failed test for a performance-enhancing drug test earlier this year, but he was the best opponent of Johnson’s career.

It was evident entering the eighth and final round that Johnson-Garcia was a competitive contest that featured several potential swing rounds judges could’ve scored either way.

Johnson kept coming forward during the eighth and final round, but he couldn’t hurt Garcia with mostly arm punches. Garcia caught Johnson with two right uppercuts within a 30-second span in the final round and seemingly built on his lead.

Garcia backed Johnson into the ropes and drilled him with another right uppercut 20 seconds into the seventh round. Johnson held Garcia after absorbing that shot.

Garcia blasted Johnson with a right uppercut out of a clinch that made Johnson stumble with about 20 seconds to go in the sixth round. Johnson appeared to tire in the sixth round, but he tried his best to fend off a relentless Garcia’s aggression.

Garcia caught Johnson with a straight right barely 30 seconds into the sixth round.

Garcia and Johnson continued to fight at a very fast pace in a back-and-forth fifth round. A left hook by Garcia got Johnson’s attention early in the fifth round, but Johnson quickly fired back with a straight right hand that backed up Garcia.

Johnson and Garcia traded hard shots from close distances during a competitive fourth round in which both fighters landed flush shots and to the body.

Garcia’s right hand knocked Johnson off balance 1:05 into what was a strong third round for Garcia, who consistently connected to Johnson’s head and body. Garcia hammered away at Johnson’s body during the opening minute of the third round.

Garcia complained of a low blow, which drew a warning from Vera with just under 40 seconds on the clock in the second round. A right uppercut by Garcia turned Johnson’s head around 50 seconds into the second round.

Garcia and Johnson fought at a fast pace throughout the first round, when they stood and traded hard shots. A right hand by Garcia made Johnson take a step backward with just under 1:15 on the clock in the opening round.

Johnson drilled Garcia with a left hook a little less than 40 seconds into their fight. Another left hook by Johnson landed several seconds later.

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