By Allan Fox: Danny Garcia says his goal is to win another title at 147, but if he can’t accomplish that, he plans on moving up to 154 to go after a belt in that division. Garcia (33-1, 19 KOs) is facing Brandon Rios (34-3-1, 25 KOs) this Saturday night in a stay busy fight for him on Showtime at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Photo credit: Chris Farina/Mayweather Promotions)
Garcia says he’s not looking past the 31-year-old Rios, but that appears to be the case. He’s doing a lot of talking about wanting to fight a rematch with WBA/WBC welterweight champion Keith Thurman. Garcia thinks he can beat Thurman to get even with him for beating him last March.
“I’m going to win another title,” Garcia said to Fighthype. “I’m going to win a title at 154 in the future. For right now, I’m going to try and win another title at 147 again. And if not, we’ll try and move up to 154. It’s my dream,” Garcia said.
It’s going to be tough going for Garcia if he moves up to junior middleweight. He’ll need to deal with bigger and stronger fighters like Jermell Charlo and Jarrett Hurd. Garcia is likely thinking of him challenging WBO 154 lb. champion Sadam Ali, who is seen as the weakest of the champions in the division.
Garcia, 29, might be waiting for a long time if he wants to get another title fight against Thurman. Garcia can get a quick title shot against IBF 147 lb. champion Errol Spence Jr. if he’s willing to take the risk. Thurman wants to take it easy in 2018 and that means no fights against Garcia, Shawn Porter or Spence.
Garcia needs to stay in the present time and make sure he handles business against Rios on Saturday, because he seems to be in the best shape he’s been in since 2011 when he was at his best.
“I’m going to go in there and do what I want to do,” Garcia said about Rios. “I’m going to fight my fight. You said you’re going to go in there and brawl,” Garcia said he told Rios that during the face off. “I’m not going to fight the way you want me to. I’m the stronger guy. I just stand in front of him and sit down on my punches and throw combinations. I can do both [slug and box]. I boxed Guerrero. I boxed a lot of opposition in my career.”
Garcia can probably beat Rios by slugging with him. That would be the best way for Garcia to beat Rios, because if he wins from him, he’s going to look real bad.
“II think for one, he’s got two good wins, and he’s got 2 belts. Numbers don’t lie,” Garcia said in explaining why he feels Keith Thurman is better than Errol Spence.
Thurman is seen as the top fighter at 147 right now, there’s no question about that. He might not stay in that position if he doesn’t start fighting a little more often though. Garcia’s interest in Thurman right now might have to do more with the money he can make fighting him rather than his belief he’s the best. I’m not sure that Garcia truly believes that Thurman is the best fighter at 147. Fighting Thurman will give Garcia a good payday, and it’s an arguably more winnable fight for him than mixing it up with Spence.
