Danny Garcia wants Jermell Charlo at 154 after one tune-up

By Boxing News - 06/29/2021 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Danny Garcia says he would be interested in challenging IBF/WBA/WBC 154-lb champion Jermell Charlo for his titles after he gets one fight under his belt in the division first.

Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) says he’s serious about moving up to 154 to go after a third division world title in that weight class.

One of the reasons that Danny believes he’ll do well at 154 is that when he’s training for his fights at 147, he’s a cut-up 160. In other words, Danny has to drain down almost 15 pounds of water weight to make 147.

Once Garcia moves up to 154, he won’t need to drop as much weight during the week of the fight.

However, Danny is still interested in fighting at 147 against the bigger names in the division. He says he’d be interested in fighting Keith Thurman and Mikey Garcia at 147.

Garcia lost a 12 round decision to ‘One Time’ Thurman in 2017 in a competitive fight. Given how exciting that fight was, there would still be a lot of interest from boxing fans in seeing Garcia and Thurman run it back.

Danny Garcia wants to become three-division champion

“I’m really serious,” said Danny Garcia to Fighthype when asked if he’s serious about moving up to 154. “I really want to go to 154.”

Image: Danny Garcia wants Jermell Charlo at 154 after one tune-up

“I obviously won’t be the biggest guy at 154, coming from 140 and 147, but my dream has always been to be a three-division world champion,” Danny Garcia continued.

“So I think that’s the next chapter of my career, but I’m not saying I won’t fight at 147 again.

“When I’m training for 147, I’m weighing 160 and I’m cut up, and that’s why I know I’m going to be great at 154,” Danny said.

“I think Mikey Garcia [at 147] is a big fight for me.  A rematch with [Keith] Thurman, that’s a big fight,” said Danny.

At 5’8″, Danny will be giving away a lot of height and reach to the 5’11” Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs), but he’s got the power and the toughness to beat him. Charlo has already been beaten once by Tony Harrison, who is far from a great fighter.

We don’t know how good Jermell is because the division he fights in is a poor one. The guys that Jermell has beaten in the last three years are fighters that Danny would beat.

That’s the problem with the 154-lb division. Many fighters lack talent, and if they were fighting at 147, the vast majority would be fringe-level fighters.

Jermell Charlo on Danny’s target list

“I want to get my feet wet first,” said Danny when asked if he wants to fight Jermell Charlo at 154 right away. “I want to fight someone at 154 and then if they offer me that fight, I’ll take it. Yeah, I’ll fight him.

“I think that’s what boxing is all about it. Fighting the best and daring to be great, and that’s what I want to do.

“If there’s another big fight at that weight [147], I’d definitely do it,” said Garcia when asked if he would return to the welterweight division.

Jermell faces WBO 154-lb champion Brian Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) for the undisputed championship on July 17th. The winner of that fight would be ideal for Danny once he gets acclimated to the division.

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