By Dan Ambrose: Unranked lightweight Rod Salka (19-3, 3 KOs) says he plans on roughing up WBA/WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia (28-0, 16 KOs) and taking the fight to him next month in their fight at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Salka, 5’7”, sees vulnerability in Garcia when he watches his previous fights, especially his recent fight against Mauricio Herrera. Salka wasn’t impressed with what he saw from Garcia in that fight and he feels that he’s someone that he can pull an upset against him.
“I love being the underdog. In this fight I’m going to make it a rough fight and let my hands go,” Salka said. “Being the underdog is great. You have nothing to lose. I don’t think there’s anyone in the world I can’t beat. I don’t feel like anybody, when I come and do what I can do, is going to beat me.”
The Garcia-Salka fight is only 10 rounds instead of the 12 rounds, and the fight will be held at a catch-weight of 142 pounds instead of the normal 140 pound limit. This was a result of Garcia asking for these changes to the fight after the WBA and WBC chose not to sanction the Garcia-Salka fight as a title fight due to Garcia’s management having selected a fighter not ranked in the top 15 at 140.
With no reason to make weight, Garcia opted to have the fight take place at 142, and 10 rounds instead of 12 rounds. Showtime will still be televising the fight regardless.
Salka is going to need to press the fight against Garcia if he wants to beat him, because he’ll get jabbed to pieces if he stays on the outside. He’s got to come forward and apply pressure against Garcia the way that Herrera did in his controversial loss. Garcia likes to hold a lot, so that’s something that Salka will need to deal with.
Garcia holds when his opponents come forward. He also tends to throw a lot of low blows, and we might see some of that as well in this fight. Salka’s lack of power means he’s going to need to throw a lot more punches than Garcia if he wants to win. He’s not going to get the victory if he matches Garcia punch for punch, because Garcia’s heavier shots will get the judges’ attention more than Salka’s lighter shots.
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