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By: Hans Themistode
A Danny Garcia vs Errol Spence Jr. matchup is one that the boxing public struggles to predict. Those struggles only increased following Spence Jr.’s car wreck in October of 2019.
Garcia, a former two-division world titlist is set to face unified champion Spence Jr. in just a few more weeks on December 5th. Question marks surrounding Spence Jr.’s health and ability to take a punch have pushed many to view his contest with Garcia as a 50/50 matchup. But the growing notion that Garcia has a legitimate chance to pull off the upset has become laughable to former multiple division champion Timothy Bradley.
“Garcia to me is tailor-made for him,” said Bradley to Fight Hype during a recent interview. “Tailor-made.”
Garcia, 32, has always been viewed as the full package. The Philadelphia native has been praised for his punching power and timing over the years but more than anything, his “no look,” left hook has received more than its fair share of credit. The unconventional punch has left former great fighters such as Erik Morales and Amir Khan unconscious in the blink of an eye.
Although it’s a shot that carries a lot of power, to Bradley, you must be out of your mind if you believe he’ll be able to land it against Spence Jr.
“You think Spence is gonna run into that?” Said Bradley as he imitated Garcia’s left hook by closing his eyes, tucking his head down and throwing violently. “He got timing but he’s not landing that against Errol Spence. He’s too smooth for that.”
For Bradley, a current ESPN boxing analyst after hanging up the gloves in 2016, he’s watched Garcia for most of his career, including his 2014 matchup against Mauricio Herrera. In that contest, Garcia was heavily favored but barely scraped by with a majority decision win. On the night, the Philadelphia native found it difficult getting past the strong jab of Herrera. To Bradley, if Garcia couldn’t formulate a game plan to deal with the fringe contender, then in no way, shape or form will he be able to deal with the sort of heat that will be coming his way from Spence Jr.
“Garcia is going to have a hard time getting past the jab. He eats jabs. Remember Mauricio Herrera? He landed the jab on him and contained. Spence is gonna control him all night, back him and beat him on the inside.”
