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North Philly’s Danny Garcia, 29-0, 17 KOs, takes on DC’s Lamont Peterson, 33-2-1, 17 KOs, on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, in a scheduled 12-rounder that will be broadcast live during primetime on NBC broadcast television. The hotly anticipated bout between the two top junior welterweights is a natural match that should end any discussion (if there still is any discussion) about who the best 140-pounder is in the world today. However this clash of junior welterweight champions will be contested at a 143 pound catch weight with none of the belts held by either man at stake. Garcia holds the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine championships, while Peterson still claims the IBF crown. But no matter what happens on Saturday night, no belts will be transacted. With or without the belts on the line, the bout is an intriguing match worthy of both the attention and excitement the April 11th event has generated. Still, with the two best junior welters facing off, the lack of titles involved has been a bit of a wet blanket leading up to the event. However, Danny Garcia refuses to let this point distract him from the task at hand – to defeat Peterson before moving up to the welterweight class where bigger fights, bigger paydays and more glory await him.
The big question surrounding this fights is, ‘Why are the two best junior welterweights and the holders of most of the titles at 140 pounds fighting each other in a non-title bout?' DANNY GARCIA:
“In order for this fight to be made, management, my team,
his team, that’s the weight we agreed at. It wasn’t a
reason for us to keep our titles just in case. It was
nothing like that. So it was just a management decision.
It was a team decision. In order for the fight to be made,
that’s the weight we had to fight at.” So is this your last
fight below 147 pounds?
GARCIA: “I’ve been at 140 since I was an amateur. 2006. I put a lot of strain on my body making weight. So it was best for me to fight at this weight. In my last fight, I fought at a 142 catch weight. I’m not saying that I can’t make 140 again. But with the time off since August, I just don’t want to cheat the fans. I want to give them my best. Like I said, in order for the fight to be made, this is the weight it had to be at.”
GARCIA: “No. It’s a big fight anyway. I know a lot of the fans want it to be a unification fight. But it’s still a big fight to me, and it’s the fight the fans wanted. So I’m just happy. The fans will get a great night of boxing on NBC. This is still a big fight. No matter with the belts or without the belts. I think if the media just lets it go already and accepts that it’s going to be a big fight without the belts, come April 11th I guarantee you that the media and the fans won’t even be talking about that anymore because the fight will be so good.”
GARCIA: “There’s an IBF belt at 147. I still have my whole career to fight for the IBF belt in other weight divisions, and other championship belts.”
GARCIA: “I would love to. Big money! I would love to. That’s what boxing’s about and that’s every fighters dream. To fight on that stage, of course for a lot of money, with all the exposure in the world. But it’s one fight at a time. Every fighter gets their chance to eat. Everybody can’t get to the table at one time. I’m just taking it one fight at a time. That’s it. One fight at a time. I’m focused on the task at hand.”
GARCIA: “I got to go out there and do what I always do. I got to go out there and dominate. I got to win the fight. That way, those big fights will be alive for me. It’s very important for me to go out there and look good and win this fight. Go out there and show the world, all the new fans, who Danny Garcia is. I think the whole point of this being on the regular networks is to broaden boxing. To make boxing bigger. To bring boxing back to where it used to be. I think the first showcase on NBC peaked at like 4.6 million viewers. So I know the second one will be even bigger. I’m blessed and I’m happy and I can’t wait to go out there are showcase my skills.”
GARCIA: “We’re calling it “Dirty 30”. It’s amazing. I see my career one fight at a time. I just see it. A lot of fighters say it goes by so fast. This is my 30th fight and I soak in every moment of it. When I won the world title, it took a long time for it to soak in and actually feel like a world champion. I had defended my belt a few times, but when I beat Matthysse I think that’s when I solidified myself as a true champion. I gave the fans what they wanted. I beat him in good fashion. It was great. Now it’s just history in the making. And I’m just ready to win my 30th fight. And it’s just a blessing.”
GARCIA: “I think every fight now, I’m building my legacy one fight at a time. I’ve been a world champion for three years. I’ve defended my title five times. I was an underdog two times in those title defenses. I just think that every fight now, I’m adding another fight to my legacy. Out of the list of champions that I’ve faced before, this is even bigger for my legacy. He is the champion. He’s faced great opponents. He’s faced great fighters too. I think stylistically this is going to be a great fight. I think it’s big for my legacy. So I got to be sure I go in there and take care of my business.”
GARCIA: “He’s a champion. So I got to go in there prepared. Can’t take no one light. I never took no one light. I’m running every day, I’m training hard. I’m disciplined. I’m sacrificing. I’m doing everything I always do. I have more experience, I’m stronger, I’m smarter, and I’m just training hard. I’m worried about the things that Danny Garcia has to do to get better in the gym every day. Sharpening my skills and my tools and make sure on April 11th I go in there and handle business. Every fight is a different fight. Sometimes I go out there and chase him down. Sometimes I have to make adjustments and box my opponents like I boxed Matthysse. But every fight is different. I prepare myself in the gym for the worst. If I have to go in there and bang it out for 12 rounds, then I have to bang it out. If I have to chase him down, then I have to chase him down. I have to make adjustments like a true champion does. April 11th, I can’t wait.”
GARCIA: “Those are common opponents that we faced. I knocked Amir Khan out. And I beat Matthysse, and Matthysse knocked him out. We had a close fight. They say styles make fights, and I say my style is to kick his butt. My style is to kick his butt.”
GARCIA: “No, I’m not going in there to try to knock his head off, all crazy. I’m going to go in there and be Danny Garcia, and set him up.”
GARCIA: “No doubt. I’m ready for whatever. If he wants to try box, then I’m just going to have to be a lion and stalk him down. Or, if he wants to fight, then we can fight. Everyone knows I can fight. That’s not hard for me.”
GARCIA: “I love Brooklyn! This is my 4th fight there. I’m 3-0, 2 knockouts, and I’m looking to make it 4 and 0 on April 11th. It’s a great atmosphere. I love the Barclays Center.”
GARCIA: “People are starting to notice now that this is a boxing market. We have great fighters in Philadelphia. I’m happy for Bryant Jennings, Jesse Hart, Gabriel Rosado, and all the young fighters doing their thing on TV. I’m just happy for them. Philadelphia is just a boxing city and it’s amazing. It feels great. It feels like it’s taking pressure off of me now! It was usually just me or Bernard. No one else was stepping up at that time. It was just me that had the title. And I’m just happy for everyone from Philadelphia. Like I said, it’s taking some pressure off me.”
GARCIA: “I got to go in there and be smart, land my big punches, and get the “W”. This is a great matchup. I’ve faced a lot of great fighters in my career. Come April 11th, you’re going to see Danny Garcia at his best. Every fight I’ve fought in my career was for a reason, and all I can say is it’s going to be a tremendous fight.”
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