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Danny Garcia is set to make his debut at super welterweight against Jose Benavidez Jr. The pair will fight on July 30 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
In an interview, Garcia said:
“We want to knock him out, but we’re ready for 12. I am going to knock him out in the seventh round because I know he will be in front of me.”
Danny Garcia last fought against Errol Spence Jr. in December 2020. It was the first fight for Spence after a high-speed car crash, and questions were asked as to how Spence would look. Spence answered those questions by controlling the bout and winning via unanimous decision.
Instead, Garcia’s future in the sport was questioned as the fighter has investments outside of the sport, and it looked like his best days were behind him.
Danny Garcia, however, has said that he feels much fitter and stronger after moving up in weight:
“I feel good, 154lbs is a good weight class for me at this time in my career, I feel great... More strength and conditioning, more stamina, more running, more sparring. This is the most rounds I've ever sparred in camp... I felt like I was shrinking myself down a lot, I thought it would benefit me because I would be stronger but I really wasn’t filling out the way I could have. I wasn’t feeling my best come fight day.”
Watch the full interview here:
Interestingly, Garcia’s best days as a fighter were at super lightweight. Those days were, however, nine years ago, and with age, it appears Garcia can no longer make the smaller weight class. In 2013, Danny Garcia beat Lucas Matthyse for the WBA and WBC Super Lightweight Championships, a win that cemented his status as the best fighter in the division at the time.
Garcia has not had the same success at welterweight and has come up short in his biggest fights at 147lbs. 'Swift' faced defeats against Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman and Errol Spence.
Jose Benavidez has a lot to prove against Danny Garcia
In his next bout, Garcia will come up against Jose Benavidez. Benavidez is a former world title challenger whose sole defeat came against Terence Crawford at welterweight. Benavidez is a naturally bigger man and that may have an impact on the fight.
Watch Crawford vs. Benavidez here:
Jose Benavidez was one of boxing’s biggest prospects, and his career was moving along nicely. Benavidez was then shot in the leg in 2016. The setback seemingly halted his momentum. A win against Garcia will prove that he still has a top role to play in boxing.
