By: Sean Crose

Danny Garcia is returning the ring. With a planned July 30th comeback match against Jose Benevidez at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center, the guy known as “Swift” is readying himself to fight for the first time since he was decisioned by Errol Spence in December of 2020. Yet the 34 year old Philly native is also setting his sites beyond Benevidez. The former titlist wants to challenge some of the sports’ bigger names. One of those names belongs to the undisputed junior middleweight champion of the world, Jermell Charlo. Garcia, who himself was a junior middleweight titlist, thinks he can reestablish his prominence in the 154 pound division.

“We definitely want to be a champion again at 154,” Garcia claimed on The PBC Broadcast, “so if he has the titles we fight him.” There’s another fighter of note Garcia has his eyes on, one that may come as something of a surprise. “There’s another guy that’s been calling out my name too,” Garcia said. “Lara wants to fight me. I know he has the middleweight belt and he said he’ll fight me at a catchweight.” Lara currently is in possession of a WBA title in the middleweight division, something Garcia would clearly like to take possession of himself.

“After this fight,” Garcia claimed, “we get this W, I’d fight for a middleweight title at 155. I think it’s real realistic. He said my name, I think it’s a great fight. He has a great résumé, I have a great résumé. I think that’s a great fight.” Yet Garcia indicates that, right now, his focus is on Benevidez. “Right now,” he said, “we’re worried about Jose Benavidez, but I think that’s an easy fight to make. He’s with PBC, I’m with PBC. There’s really no in-betweens.” Benevidez, who has been less than active himself lately, last fought last November when he drew on the cards with Francisco Torress. Before that he was knocked out by Terence Crawford in 2018.

“He was fighting at 140 when I was the champion at 140,” Garcia said of Benevidez. “I think he was the regular champion. I’m a fan of boxing so I always watch who’s new, who’s coming up, who’s around. I always watch him and his brother. I think he was on the scene first. I’m pretty familiar with his style, I know what he brings to the table.”

As for his time away from the ring, Garcia clearly doesn’t see it as being that big a deal. “When you’ve been boxing so long,” he said, “I don’t feel like ring rust affects you.”

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