Tag Archives: danny

Posted on 01/27/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Danny Garcia may have been out of the ring for nine months but he didn’t show any sort of ring rust as he made it look easy against Ivan Redkach. The two squared off at Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York this past Saturday night. 

It wasn’t much of a contest as Redkach was thoroughly dominated. Now that Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) has gotten his tune up out of the way, he’ll be getting a big fight in his next ring outing. 

One of these men who we will reveal below will be next for Garcia without a doubt.

Errol Spence Jr

Ivan Redkach may have been the one standing across the ring from Garcia last night, but it was actually supposed to be against unified Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr (25-0, 21 KOs). Spence of course, suffered a horrific car accident which sidelined him. In his first television interview, Spence made it clear that he did not want any tune up fights and instead, wanted to jump straight into a tough matchup with Garcia. Is that a smart choice? 

Well, if you have any time, look up the footage of the wreck that Spence got into late last year and you make the decision. Look, if Spence believes he’s ready for a clash with Garcia next, then what are we waiting for? Let’s make that contest happen next.

Manny Pacquiao 

He might be 40 years of age but Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) just isn’t slowing down. It doesn’t even make sense at this point. Pacquiao spent his 2019 beating down Adrien Broner and followed that up by dropping and outpointing Keith Thurman. The latter resulted in Pacquiao walking away with the WBA title. A matchup with Pacquiao would be a huge one for Garcia. 

Forget about him winning another world title but take a look at the whole picture. Garcia has put together one helluva resume. If Garcia decided to hang up his gloves for good, he would be considered on the brink of hall of fame status. Well, a win over Pacquiao would officially push him over the edge. The fight in itself would be a great one for the fans as both fighters come to fight.

Keith Thurman 

When the two matched up back in 2017, history was made. They both walked in undefeated and gave the fans a real show. Garcia left with the first loss of his career but you could argue that he should have gotten the nod. 

Their first contest may have taken place over two years ago but Garcia and most notably his father, Angel, want to run it back. 

“We want the rematch badly with Thurman,” said Angel.

If Garcia isn’t able to land Pacquiao or Spence then a rematch with Thurman would be the best way to go.

Posted on 01/26/2020

By: Robert Aaron Contreras

On Saturday, former champion Danny Garcia was clearly levels above his opponent as he pummeled Ivan Redkach over the full 12 rounds, walking away the winner of a wide unanimous-decision victory at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Garcia’s adopted home.

Garcia (36-2, 21 KO), competing before a partisan Brooklyn crowd for the eighth time, got off to a great start whipping around Redkach, who had some bite to him (actually gnawing at Garcia’s shoulder in the ninth round) before cooling off down the stretch, scoring no knockdowns, making for a performance equal parts dominant and underwhelming, winning 117-111, 117-111 and 118-110, to set the stage for a megafight, possibly against Errol Spence or Manny Pacquiao. 

“I thought the referee was going to stop it,” Garcia, fooling no-one, told Showtime correspondent Jim Gray. “I was punishing him—I wanted to get the KO.” More importantly, Gray couldn’t let him go without asking to confirm if Redkach bite him. 

Garcia explained, “He bit me… [Redkach] said ‘Mike Tyson’ when he bit me. That’s my first time ever getting bite in a fight.”

Coming off that upset over Devon Alexander, enjoying new KO power at welterweight, Tyson-esque biting wasn’t the kind of savagery Redkach’s handlers thought he would be able to offer Garcia. Instead he opened the contest experimenting with long body jabs. Garcia routinely parried his opponent’s offense and tagged Redkach with one-twos to dissuade the tactic. 

Redkach’s left hand did come flying toward Garcia in the second frame. With little zip behind them, and Garcia being the natural counterpuncher he is, the crowd favorite threw light jabs right back at Redkach, curving over the Ukrainian’s extended arm.  

Asserting his will, Garcia pulled away from Redkach. His combos and powerpunching were too much. He expertly stalked Redkach in the third round, baiting him to attack, before exploding into dipping, winging right and left hooks.

Garcia’s mixed up his punch selection and, better, his points of entry. Moving diagonally to his right, Garcia touched Redkach lightly upstairs with a right hand before immediately turning the same hand over into a body punch. Timing incoming hooks from Redkach, and won the quick exchanges with left hooks of his own. By and by, Redkach was a sitting duck, open to absorb sweeping shots from Garcia to end of the sixth stanza. 

Redkach was just not a threat by the midway point of the 12-round contest. His output so low, Garcia at times fired four consecutive uppercuts. Eventually a heavy right hand from Garcia buckled Redkach’s knees at the end of Round 7. The bell rank and Redkach turned toward the camera to reveal ruddiness outlying his left eye, including above his eyebrow.

Garcia’s two-fisted waves coincided with long stretches of inactivity from Redkach: too busy sticking his hands up to returning anything of note. There was a quick consultation with the doctor before the ninth inning. But Redkach was thrown back out there to be on the receiving end of Garcia’s patented, no-look hooks, catapulting the bricks from seemingly across the ring.

Redkach antics mounted. He gave Garcia a nibble and afterwards repeatedly stuck out his tongue at Garcia, but using his hands to wrap up his assailant, not return fire, as punches reigned down on him. Garcia was unbothered, resuming his lunging haymakers.

The eleventh round, though, saw Garcia’s little tenacity dissipate. Here on out, through the final round, Redkach demonstrated more bounce to his step with fewer raging fists coming his way. He tossed out left hands, making little contact, but simply happy to see Garcia recoil and take a step backwards.

Garcia was still far and away ahead of his man in the final CompuBox totals. He connected on 195 of 568 total punches (34 percent), compared to Redkach’s landing 88 of 578 (15 percent).

This makes two wins in a row for Garcia since dropping a decision to Shawn Porter. A long stint in the pound-for-pound ranks, and domain over the junior welterweight division, far behind him, greater splendor could be his with a successful showdown against Spence or Pacquiao.

Which one exactly doesn’t seem to matter to Garcia.

“Either or,” he said after the fight. “Either of those fights I would like to have. I think my style fits great with both fighters.”

Jarret Hurd (24-1, 16 KO) def. Francisco Santana (25-8-1, 12 KO) by decision

Former unified junior middleweight titlist Jarret Hurd, returning for the first time since losing his belts, outmaneuvered and outpunched Francisco Santana en route to a points win in the evening’s 10-round co-main event.

Too bad it wasn’t the usual, incensed action Hurd typically produces but that was all by design.

“We came out here and did what we wanted to,” Hurd said in the post-fight interview. “We wanted to work behind the jab—we didn’t want to go toe to toe, we didn’t want to go to war.”

Though Santana would’ve likely obliged a warring Hurd, the 29-year-old Maryland destroyer resolved to fight in reverse. In the first round, Santana wasn’t so much stalking but chasing the bigger man around.

Hurd controlled the pace with pawing jabs—not exerting himself. Santana was consistently creeping forward. When he could stringing together bursts of short, shoveling attacks—doing little damage.

The geography of the fight shifted in Round 3 where Hurd wasn’t so keen on giving up the center of the ring, firing stiff jabs at Centeno as “Chia” moved in semicirlces in search for an opening. More stiff jabs landed. Centeno found short success with left hooks as Hurd tested out, or at least attempted, to show off upper body movement. But Hurd returned to racking up points with slicing uppercuts to his man’s head. 

Centeno was at least getting his workout in: bobbing here and there, audible grunts accompanying his chippy blows. None of which landed flush, brushing Hurd’s shoulders, and overhands unable to reach the head of his opponent.

Hurd was dealing out more powerful blows in the fifth stanza. Even in close distance, he was safe, leaning back, out of the reach of Centeno, patiently waiting for the shorter man to offer up helpless punches, and returning left-right hooks: more and more damaging as the round progressed. 

The rest of the way, Centeno, desperately, pressed his weight into Hurd. Tossing up clenched fists but to no avail: eating punches along the way. Oversized and overmatched. More fluid movement from Hurd to end the sixth round, moving laterally, motioning out and way before springing back toward his man with punches across his body.

The action slipped into a lull through the next couple rounds. There was clumsy punching, both fighters crawling over each other. So Hurd got back on track in Round 9: moving backwards again, now sticking out his off-hand, occasionally tuning it into a long hook. Santana’s arms were still oscillating but touching Hurd with minimal force. 

There was finally a knockdown in the waning seconds of the 10th frame. Hurd applied pressure, as he does best, blanketing the smaller man with his size: consuming him. Santana flailing his arms in retaliation. But two winging left hooks ricocheted off Santana’s head and allowed Hurd to tee off a right uppercut that slowly crumbled Santana to the ground. A last-second knockdown. But an inconsequential one, to be sure, manifesting when the fight had already been decided and fans no longer cared.

Posted on 01/25/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Looking ahead is apart of all sports. Before the event even begins, the first question that arises is “what’s next?” 

In boxing, in particular, the thought of a big fight is always on the minds of everyone. It may sound cliché and a bit infuriating but when a boxer says “I can’t look ahead, I have to focus on the fight in front of me,” fans simultaneously role their eyes. 

This constant rhetoric used by fighters just isn’t what fans want to hear on a consistent basis, yet it is the formula that helps them carve out hall of fame level careers. 

When you look at former two division world champion Danny Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs), he’s become the poster child for this. It is difficult if not flat out impossible for anyone to get him to mention any other fighter other than the one that is currently placed in front of him.   

His trainer and father, Angel Garcia on the other hand, now that’s an entirely different story. 

On January 25th, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn New York, Garcia will be taking on Ivan Redkach. It isn’t considered the most difficult matchup in the world for Danny. In fact, should he lose this upcoming weekend, you could make the case that this would rank amongst the biggest upsets in the history of the sport. 

The matchup with Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KOs) is an important one, but it isn’t exactly on the minds of the fans. Contests against unified champion Errol Spence Jr and WBA belt holder Manny Pacquiao are more intriguing. 

You may not be able to get Danny to say much about what lies ahead for his future but his father is an open book.

“Anyone of them. We’ll take them all,” said Angel during a recent interview. “Listen, we’re here to fight so we’ll fight anyone of them. It doesn’t even matter if we have to fight on DAZN we can work with them.”

If you believe the rumbles then you’ll understand fully that Danny has a potential matchup with either of those aforementioned fighters awaiting him should he pull off the victory this Saturday. 

The problem for Danny is that Spence was only recently cleared for boxing activities following a horrific car accident, while Pacquiao is an unknown. 

Pacquiao has done just about everything in the sport of boxing and at this point, he’s almost like the golden ticket. One win over him and you have a chance of punching your own ticket to the hall of fame, while also pocketing a career high pay day as well.

Danny has a hall of fame case in his own right and he certainly isn’t hurting for money either, but more couldn’t hurt right? Danny would love a fight with the living legend but that doesn’t mean that he’ll simply wait around or beg for it either.

“We can fight Manny that’s not a problem but the point is this. Last year we were supposed to fight Manny. We sat and waited and then he ended up choosing Thurman. So we wasted a date last year. We want to fight at least two times this year.”

Speaking of Thurman, he of course handed the first loss to Danny in his career. It may have been over two years ago but don’t think Danny or Angel forgot about it.

“We want a rematch with Thurman bad. We need that rematch so that we can avenge the L. But if we don’t get him then we’ll take any of the other top guys.”

Before any of those dream matchups can actually happen, fans will have to revert back to those words that they hate to hear. “I have to focus on the fight in front of me.” It may not be the sort of statement that the fans want to be told, but it’s what they have to live with, for now. 

Angel isn’t looking past Redkach but he does expect him to be nothing more than a speed bump on the road to big fights.

“Listen, when Danny starts throwing leather will Redkach be able to stand there and take it? I doubt it. Danny is gonna knock him out.” 

Posted on 01/24/2020

On Saturday, Danny Garcia (35-2, 21 KO) has two opponents in mind. Neither of which will be in the ring with him. Cast out from boxing’s pound-for-pound ranks, Garcia hopes to turn a dominant showing over Ivan Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KO) into a megafight with either Errol Spence of Manny Pacquiao. 

Aiming for competitive fights has never exactly been Garcia’s M.O. lest there is something lucrative in it for him which would seem to be just what Spence and Pacquiao offer. Three years ago, Garcia was (even if begrudgingly so) a fixture among the sport’s elite. But having since been relieved of that lofty position following losses to Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, years of living off a couple good wins in 2013 seems like ages ago. His recent 2-2 mark dates back to 2017. And too bad considering his talent—combining stellar power and impeccable balance—the whole is less than the sum of its parts when it comes to Garcia.

That 14-month stretch that saw Garcia blast Amir Khan and bang around Lucas Matthysse was something to behold. It also made his fall from grace that much more epic. Biblical even. Because Lucifer might be a good parallel for the hatred Garcia and his camp (namely his father) have been met with from the boxing community. Tagged with the “cherry picker” label for doing Al Haymon’s bidding and constantly jawing throughout that will-they-won’t-they saga leading up to his fight with Thurman. Angel Garcia swore his son was God’s gift to boxing. And fight fans were quick to point out the contradiction of such a claim with what was going down in the ring. For starters, that robbery at the expense of Mauricio Herrera.

It was Garcia’s first action since defeating Matthysse. Herrera was not yet known as the divisional spoiler but instead an unheralded journeyman who fought on even terms with middling men on ESPN. But there was no tuneup to be had for Garcia. Herrera’s awkward attack befuddled the superstar all the way to a lucky decision verdict that still haunts Garcia’s legacy. Still hanging on to his belts, Garcia didn’t get the chance to defend them when he next signed up to fight Rod Salka, a considerably smaller boxer, in a matchup so poor the WBC and WBA refused to sanction it.

By this point, the junior welterweight division was still hot. So Garcia couldn’t avoid the big names forever. To open 2015, he took on Lamont Peterson, a respectable champion. The contest was fair enough but Peterson finished the stronger go the two and that painted a terrible scene when Garcia eked out a majority decision. But the real story was that for no reason at all Garcia demanded a catchweight. That meant no belts on the line, no unification. Meaningless as they often are, those shiny belts mean a lot to the mainline fanbase, who consider them the entire goal of the sport: win the title and be the best. Garcia’s betrayal was yet another grave sin.

The belts clearly didn’t mean anything to Garcia because up he moved to welterweight-proper (147 pounds). In the sport’s most glamorized division pressure for high-level action only increased, especially against Thurman. But Garcia only offered up a bout with Paul Malignaggi and, worse, Robert Guerrero, who Thurman had beat the year before. Garcia’s time between fights became longer, waiting a whole 10 months before finally punching in a TKO over PBC grunt Samuel Vargas.

Not until the spring of 2017 did fans get Garcia-Thurman. But frankly no matter the outcome, no matter how close Garcia would run things with Thurman, it was never going to be enough. His reputation was soiled. Any type of loss was all his detractors needed. He had been exposed, as they like to say. Not just because Thurman was a terrific fighter but because it proved boxing intelligentsia correct all along—every soft touch, all the close fights, they weren’t isolated events but terrific pattern recognition from the hive mind on social media. 

Three years on, Garcia has competed just three more times. Losing twice, falling short to the only notable names he’s faced since turning away Matthysse. His last fight was a stoppage over Adrian Granados, a banger cut from the same cloth as Redkach: the plodding type of opponent tailor-made for Garcia. The formula worked before, why not again?

Last June, Redkach, 33, was facing down the barrel of the same gun. Devon Alexander was an established contender on the hunt for a limited banger to gather momentum against. Redkach was his man but a pair of left hands flipped script in Redkach’s favor, winning by sixth-round knockout. Not bad for his welterweight debut.

Turning pro at lightweight with some considerable hype, Redkach was a decent hitter. But cracking a sturdy technician like Alexander was more than even his biggest fans could’ve hoped for. He’s strung together three straight wins. But mining another upset out of Redkach won’t be easy for his trainer Shane Mosley. Pushing those mid-30s there isn’t much left for a fighter beside their power. That might just be to Redkach’s delight. 

Hurd looks to bounce back after losing titles

As interesting as a matchup can be between two men coming of a loss, Jarrett Hurd (23-1, 16 KO) squares off with Francisco Santana (25-7-1, 12 KO) in a 10-round junior middleweight contest.

Hurd, 29, was the 154-pound king just last summer before the Maryland bruiser was decisioned by an inspired Julian Williams. Hurd had previously forced his will onto every one of this opponents. A three-fight crusade in 2017 and 2018 had particularly make the world take note: bashing Tony Harrison and Austin Trout before grueling out a decision over Erislandy Lara. All three were beltholders, past or present. So a early knockout over British ruffian Jason Welborn was just desserts.

Despite the hype surrounding Williams before he was felled by Jermall Charlo, Hurd was supposed to run over him. But Williams boxed his ears off. Fortunately for Hurd, Williams surprisingly lost immediately afterwards, and he isn’t that far away from another crack at a title as he is currently the top-rated contender to the WBA’s bevy of champions (three in all!).

Santana, 33, knows Williams firsthand too. They met ages ago in 2011, holding Williams to a draw. It was the first blemish on the future champ’s record. Santana’s true level was clear in his very next fight, outpointed by Jermall Charlo.

As such, the next half-decade was part and parcel for a second-tier brawler. Wrecking regional talent here, fed to shiny prospects there. So in 2018 he was an afterthought when he was entered the short-lived welterweight tournament put on by the WBC. In the top seed was Felix Diaz but Santana paid that no mind, outworking the former gold medalist to a points win. There are no nights off for Santana. He may have been outdone by a fresher, streaking Abel Ramos, in his last fight. but he still floored the younger man, accumulating 800 total punches. That’s who Santana is, consistent—limited that he may be.

Posted on 01/23/2020

By: Hans Themistode

There’s always a smile plastered across the face of former two division world champion Danny Garcia. A big one at that. 

His happy demeanor has always been for good reason. He spent the first ten years of his career as an undefeated fighter, and five of those years as a world champion before picking up the first loss of his career to Keith Thurman in 2017. 

The man nicknamed “Swift” bounced back in a major way with a stoppage win against Brandon Rios before losing a close contest against Shawn Porter shortly after. 

In 2019, Garcia was seen putting Adrian Granados on his backside en route to a stoppage win. With the victory, his trademark smile followed it shortly after. 

You would be hard pressed to ever find Garcia without that aforementioned smile, but there was a storyline behind it. The smile was nothing but a lie. A mask if you will. Similar to the one he often wears on his way to the ring.

“I been boxing for 21 years since I was 10 years old,” said Garcia. “All the big fights and the pressure, sometimes you get tired of it. There’s a lot of pressure and people expect a lot out of you. Sometimes you forget what makes you happy. It becomes a business so it’s like you’re not having fun anymore.”

Garcia’s time sulking in the demands and pressures that are associated with someone in his position didn’t last long. By the time the former two division champion walks through the ring ropes against Ivan Redkach on January 25th, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York, it will be nine full months since the boxing public has seen him. 

Call it a mini vacation. A recharging period so to speak. Whatever you decide to name it, it worked. With the time spent away from the fight game, Garcia realized just how much it’s meant to him.

“I realized that this is what makes me happy. When I sit home and I’m not fighting I just don’t feel happy so I’m just counting my blessings my right now. I fell back in love with the sport of boxing again. My last camp I felt good. This camp I felt good so I just want to go out there and count my blessings and give the fans a good show.”  

It’s great to see Garcia come to the realization that he loves the sport once again, but hopefully he also realizes the position he currently occupies. 

This contest against Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KOs) was never supposed to take place. Instead, a matchup against unified Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr (25-0, 21 KOs) was on his radar. Spence would of course go on to get involved in a horrific car accident which put that bout on hold. 

So now, Garcia is in a prove it spot if you will. All eyes will be fixated on him and his performance. 

Needless to say, a loss to Redkach ends any hopes he has of competing on the big stage once again. Even a struggle against Redkach could lead to Garcia being shoved to the side in favor of someone else.

“I wouldn’t say it’s an audition but it’s a really important fight for me and my future. My future starts on Saturday night for all the big fights. I’ve been in a lot of big fights in my career. I’ve fought 13 world champions and been in 10 world title fights. I know Redkach is hungry but I know what it takes to win at this level. I know what a win on Saturday night will do for me and all the big fights that are right there waiting for me but I have to focus on Redkach right now, I can’t overlook him. I have to dominate him and then the sky’s the limit after that.”

It isn’t just the sky, but the entire galaxy is at the fingertips of Garcia if he is able to pull off the victory on Saturday night. Garcia currently occupies the number one ranking in the WBO as well as the number two spots for the WBA and WBC as well. He essentially has his pick of any world champion if he manages to pick up the win. 

Although many of the big names have continuously called him out, there is one fighter in particular who wants a fight with Garcia as soon as possible. One that shares a history with him as well. 

“Yeah for sure, this is a business, anything can be made if it’s done right,” said Garcia when discussing the possibility of a fight with WBO belt holder Terence Crawford. “We fought for free in the amateurs so why not fight for money.”

A fight with Crawford would be a great one but not something that anyone should look forward to. Garcia might be interested in a bout with Crawford but he is even more interested in a showdown with either Errol Spence Jr or WBA titlist Manny Pacquiao. 

“I like my chances against either one of those guys. It’ll be a great fight but I believe I can beat either of them but first things first, I have to take care of Redkach on Saturday night.”

Posted on 12/21/2019

By: Hans Themistode

2020 is primed to be a big one for former two division world champion Danny Garcia. 

After falling short in two contest against Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter in 2017 and 2018, Garcia has bounced back in a big way. Earlier this year he was seen stopping the ultra tough Adrian Granados in the seventh round of their contest. If Garcia was looking to make a statement, he surely accomplished it. 

With 8 losses to his name, Granados is by no means a world beater. His skill level has seemingly plateaued and one would mistake him for an elite level boxer. However, his toughness, grit and will to win is second to none. Garcia beat all of it out of Granadas when the two met in the ring. 

With the victory, Garcia successfully lined himself up with unified Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. Yet, with Spence suffering serious injuries due to a horrific car accident, their contest was postponed. It was an opportunity that Garcia was looking forward too, but if there is one thing life has taught not just Garcia but every and anyone, is that time stops for no man. 

“Yeah, definitely my mindset was fighting Spence,” said Garcia during a recent press conference in Brooklyn, New York. “That was my date. When it happened, I’m glad he’s ok but the show must go on.”

Boxing fans and unjustly so, have been critical of Garcia and his level of opposition. With the recent choice of Ivan Redkach as his next opponent, fans have once again shown Garcia a bit of criticism for the  choice. The condemnation of Redkach should be put to rest. The once fringe contender who has turned into a legitimate one, has reeled off three straight victories, including a sixth round stoppage over former title holder Devon Alexander. 

Still, the question remains, just how can a contest against Ivan Redkach possibly lead Garcia to memorable 2020? That’s easy. If Garcia can successfully defeat Redkach on the 25th of January, he will position himself for a possible showdown with some of the bigger names in the division. 

“If Pac-man wants to fight me or if Spence wants to fight me then I’m ready for whoever. But for now, Redkach makes a lot of sense because he is a southpaw and I’m going to be fighting a southpaw after I get this victory so I’ll already be ready for a southpaw. It’s all about putting a game plan together.”

In a career that has spanned almost a decade and a half, Garcia has built his name on the backs of the great fighters he has defeated inside of the ring. With a victory against Redkach, Garcia will once again be in line to take on one of the biggest names in the division. For now however, he isn’t focused on the future. 

The Philadelphia born fighter is just looking to put on a show in his home away from home. 

“I’ve fought here a quarter of all the fights that have been here, so you can say that this is my house. I’m happy to be back, I feel blessed. Come January 25th, it’s going to be the Danny Garcia show. It’s going to be a great show and expect to see fireworks baby.”

Posted on 12/21/2019

By Robert Aaron Contreras

The main event of DAZN’s latest broadcast was full of garbage. Literally, as crushed beer cans cluttered the ring after Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (51-4-1, 33 KO) seemed to have blatantly quit following the end of the fifth round against former world champion Daniel Jacobs (36-3, 30 KO). The peanut gallery who helped fill the Talking Stick Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday night were not hesitant to show Chavez their disappointment when referee Wes Melton waved off the contest.

The bout was supposed to represent the super middleweight debut of Jacobs, 32, who weathered a vigorous opening couple rounds from Chavez, 33, before the Mexican star customarily imploded.

“It necessarily wasn’t my debut at super middleweight cause—this is so disrespectful,” Jacobs said, standing in the ring as more incoming trash interrupted his post-fight interview. “This is the biggest opponent of my career. I wanted to make sure I could take the punches. To me he was a cruiserweight. Even his jab was heavy. Physically, he was the bigger man and it showed.”

Through the first two rounds, Chavez’s punches were forceful, matching his intimidating appearance: towering over Jacobs, filling out his overweight frame (weighing in well over the contracted 168-pound limit at 172 pounds). Stalking, Chavez pitched looping shots at his opponent. The power punches strayed downstairs in the second period, carrying an extra trace of lethal injection. Forceful right hands toward Jacobs’ head masked pendulum left hands slapping the American’s midsection. 

The third frame saw Chavez lose steam. Jacobs remained in orthodox stance. He fired straight right and lefts, chipping away at his man’s dome. Chavez occasionally walked Jacobs down but was met with a flurry of body blows. The blitz from Jacobs forced Chavez to wrap up.

A doubling jab opened the fourth round for Jacobs. Chavez prodded with his off-hand but his offense severely slowed. The crowd took notice and was audibly frustrated. As if on command, Chavez plowed forward and drove Jacobs to the corner. The smaller boxer quickly switched stances and countered with southpaw jabs before side-stepping out of danger, delivering a left hook as he swung his body clockwise. Jacobs also did well fighting out of more tie-ups. Though Chavez found time to complain about elbows out of the break.

In Round 5, Chavez waded in. But no punches followed. Jacobs remained active, especially his jab and long strikes to the body. But at the 1:15 mark of the round, Jacobs circled to the outside, jabbing, wherein Chavez ducked a punch and leaned over into an overhand right. It was the biggest blow of the fight. But Chavez made no effort to capitalize on the score. More spearing right and left crosses secured the inning for Jacobs.

With a small nice under his left eye, Chavez went back to his corner in distraught. The DAZN broadcast claimed to have heard him cite a broken right hand. He told his corner he was done for the night and it was over. Heckling rolled in. Deservedly so. 

Marking the second time in his privileged career Chavez has quit on a phantom injury, he is not to be trusted. Not to make weight, not go out on his shield. He’s a murderous puncher. A son of a fistic immortal. But no real boxer.

It was Jacobs’ first win since 2018, bouncing back from a clear points loss to Canelo Alvarez in May. Unable to master the top of the middleweight class, a successful foray into the super middleweight ranks is what Jacobs had in mind this weekend. Instead he got Chavez, and because of that forced to wade through the junk and debris that typically follows him. 

Julio Cesar Martinez wins flyweight title

Julio Cesar Martinez (15-1, 12 KO won the WBC flyweight title over Cristofer Rosales (29-5, 20 KO) in the ninth round of a violent outing.

Martinez would have already had the belt if not for a late punch in his dominant effort over Charlie Edwards in August. He secured the gold for good with another menacing body assault. This one over another notable fighter in Rosales, who held that same belt years ago.

It was a highly entertaining battle. The first two rounds appeared to be even, as both fighters poured it on. Rosales was aggressive early on, even stunning Martinez in the second period. Down the stretch however he would feel the brunt of the division’s newest stud, a switch-hitting pocket monster. 

Martinez, 24, of Mexico City, fought through a cut near his eye to hack away at the 25-year-old Rosales. He doled out a real lashing in the seventh round and it looked like he might be able to keep alive his perfect streak of never seeing past the eighth round.

But Rosales broke that streak, conceivably doing his best work in Round 8. Martinez’s attack though didn’t let up and everything came to a wrap in the ninth stanza. In the final moments of that fateful round, Martinez stepped in with wide left hook to the body and a subsequent shoveling right hand that froze Rosales, leaving him open for an unanswered follow-up pelting upstairs before the referee stepped in the middle of the two. 

Martinez has now won 15 straight. The only loss on his record came in his pro debut back in 2015. He was dealt a split-decision loss and has yet to taste defeat again. Rosales has dropped two of his last three. 

Posted on 12/19/2019

By: Hans Themistode

He’s the second place man. The fighter who is always in a position to make noise and claim a spot amongst the elite of the division, but has come up short time and time again. 

Back in 2015, Ivan Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KOs) took on his first true test in then undefeated Dejan Zlaticanin. It was not a competitive contest as Redkach was stopped in the 4th round. One year later, Redkach was given another high profile fight, this time against Tevin Farmer. He once again came up woefully short, losing via unanimous decision. A stoppage loss to John Molina Jr in the 4th round back in 2017 all but confirmed his second place status. 

Things happen in boxing. Not everyone can finish in first place and in the case of Ivan Redkach, it seemed apparent that he would have to take comfort in his second place role. 

Fast forward over two years later since his loss to John Molina Jr and Redkach has seemingly rewrote the pages of his career. He has reeled off three straight wins including an impressive 6th round stoppage victory over former two division world champion Devon Alexander. 

With the biggest win of his career now firmly in his back pocket, Redkach has been given an even bigger opportunity as he will be taking on former multiple time world champion Danny Garcia on January 25th, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

Redkach has shared the ring with numerous world champions and elite level boxers throughout his career and believes that his experience, be it good or bad, will lead him to a victory against Garcia.

“As a fighter, he is a very good fighter,” said Redkach during a recent press conference in Brooklyn, New York. “But I’m not sure he will be able to handle himself in the ring against someone like me. I will do whatever it takes to come out with the win this January.”

In a career that has spanned nearly a decade, Redkach will deal with a new set of emotions for his upcoming fight against Garcia. 

“I’ve supported him and been with him in his last fights but it’s my job. I had a long amateur career where I had the same kind of situations, so for me it’s just work.”

With the opportunity of a lifetime staring Redkach directly in the face, he will be looking to take full advantage of this situation. 

Since moving up to the Welterweight division back in 2015, Garcia’s results at his new weight class has been a mixed bag of results. He has fallen short in two championship contest against Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter but he has looked impressive as of late. A loss for him at this point in his career would be a death-nail of sorts in terms of his ability to compete with the best that the division has to offer.  

There is no denying that Redkach, at least according to most, is not expected to win this contest. If you believe that the doubters in his capabilities will lead to his frustrations, then you don’t know Ivan Redkach.

“It doesn’t bother me at all. The motivation and strength that I get from my family and friends is what pushes me. As long as I have their motivation that’s all I need. That’s what helped me in the Alexander fight and it’s going to help me in this fight.” 

Posted on 12/10/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Two division world champion Danny Garcia recently informed everyone that he would be making his return to the ring in January of 2020 at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. What he didn’t say or rather, what he didn’t know at that time, is who he would be taking on.

“January 25th I’m back at the Barclay Center, my home away from home,” said Garcia. “It’s a great atmosphere here, I just can’t wait to be back. I don’t know who I’m facing yet but I’ve been in the gym training hard. I’m already ready so whoever they put in front of me I’ll be ready to get it on.”

Garcia now not only has a date but he now has an opponent as well. Ivan Redkach will look to grab the biggest win of his career when the two face off on the 25th of January. If this contest had taken place just a few years ago, it would have been viewed as a non competitive one. Redkach lost three of his past four matches from 2016-2017, but he has seemingly put that in the past as he has won three fights in the row with his latest coming via stoppage against former world champion Devon Alexander. 

The announcement of this contest comes as somewhat of a shocker. Redkach was rumored to be taking on Adrien Broner, while Garcia on the other hand had his eyes set on taking on unified Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. Those plans were immediately scrapped once Broner and Redkach were unable to solidify a deal. As for Spence vs Garcia, that contest will have to wait while Spence recovers from his horrific car accident. 

At this point in their respective careers, neither man can afford a loss on the 25th of January. Although Redkach looked great in becoming the first man to stop Devon Alexander in his last ring appearance, a win over Garcia would bring his career to a whole other level. 

Garcia on the other hand faces a ton of pressure as well as a win over Redkach is expected to lead him directly to a huge fight for the second half of 2020.

“First of all thank God Spence is doing good and he’s recovering well. I was looking forward to fighting him but that is always something that can happen in the future, but yeah Pac-man [Manny Pacquiao] or Spence those are the fights we want.”

With Garcia amongst the many who are vying for a shot against Pacquiao, he could vault his name to the top of the list with an impressive victory against the surging Ivan Redkach. 

Posted on 11/20/2019

By: Hans Themistode

When Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) outclassed Adrien Broner earlier this year, not many people thought anything of it. 

Broner has always possessed all of the talent in the world, but he has long had his difficulties putting it all together. His four division world titles, although impressive, lacks any true substance. He just hasn’t beaten anyone of note in his career. 

When the two locked horns at the MGM Grand Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January, no one was really surprised by the outcome. Broner gave it everything he had, but Pacquiao simply overwhelmed him with his volume. When it was later announced that Pacquiao would be stepping into the ring against Keith Thurman a few months later, that contest was viewed as a true toss up. In fact, many believed that Thurman, who is a decade younger, would be too much for Pacquiao. 

Fast forward twelve grueling rounds later and many of those critics were wrong as Pacquiao earned a split decision victory. 

Pacquiao, like many of the top name fighters of today, only fights two times a year. His next contest has already been penciled in for the first half of 2020 and he has two opponents in mind. 

Former two division world champion Danny Garcia and former four division champion Mikey Garcia, no relation. 

With Terence Crawford on the other side of the street with Top Rank and Errol Spence Jr sidelined while he recovers from his horrific car accident, these are the two biggest names Pacquiao can get his hands on. But which of the two Garcia’s would be the best option? Let’s break it down. 

The Case For Danny

It wasn’t that long ago, 2016 to be exact, when Danny Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs) was an undefeated belt holder at the Welterweight division. His run through the Super Lightweight class was something special. He fought and defeated the sort of fighters that no one expected him too. 

In 2012, when he absolutely destroyed Amir Khan, that wasn’t supposed to happen. No one expected him to pull off the victory. Yet, he did. Whoever considered themselves the top dog at the weight made sure to step into the ring with Danny and each time the Philly born fighter came out on top. 

His run in the Welterweight division hasn’t been as great but it’s been a very good one. Close losses to both Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman knocked off some of the shine from his profile but still, those matches could have gone either way. He may not be viewed as the possible pound for pound level fighter that many pegged him out to be, but he is still an outstanding fighter nonetheless. 

Danny has also been itching for a chance to face off with Pacquiao for a while now. 

“I’m waiting for the call,” said Danny when regarding a possible Pacquiao contest. “That’s a fight I definitely want. Pacquiao has always had problems with counter punchers so I feel like my style would be perfect for him.”

Pacquiao has had his issues with counter punchers in the past but he would be the solid betting favorite going up against Danny if this contest were to take place. The case for Danny to be the next man up for Pacquiao is a strong one but let’s take a look at the other Garcia first. 

The Case For Mikey

You really can’t have one bad day at the office in the sport of boxing. Throughout the entire career of Mikey Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs) he was viewed as one of the best out there. Even as he battled legal issues for several years, once he returned back to the ring he didn’t lose a beat. 

Mikey soon went on a roll, defeating Dejan Zlaticanin for the Lightweight world title. He then moved up to outpoint Adrien Broner over 12 rounds and followed that up with back to back wins over Sergey Lipinets and Robert Easter Jr to win world titles in both contests. 

His penchant to move up in weight was taken too far as he jumped up two weight classes to take on IBF titlist Errol Spence Jr in March of this year and subsequently lost every single round in that matchup. He hasn’t been seen in a ring since then. 

Despite the loss, Mikey and Pacquiao have long been linked to one another. To say that Mikey would be excited for the challenge would be putting it mildly.

“I would love a fight with Manny,” said Mikey. “I think I have to get another fight before that to show everyone that I am capable and that I earned it. But a fight with Manny would be bad ass. I would love a fight with Manny.”

With just one defeat on his record he would be more than a worthy foe for Pacquiao and his 2020 return, but which Garcia should ultimately get the call? 

Danny Garcia

Mikey Garcia is a great fighter. Despite his blowout loss to Spence, you just can’t say a bad word about the guy. His timing, power, boxing ability and heart have always carried him through his matches. 

If this contest were to take place at a different weight than Mikey would have a better argument. But it isn’t. 

The four division world champion just seems to be too small for the Welterweight class. 

Danny on the other hand isn’t just a fully grown Welterweight fighter, but in actuality, he might be too big for the weight class. Don’t put too much stock into Danny losing to Keith Thurman back in 2017 and Pacquiao winning his most recent contest against that same Keith Thurman this year. We all know that styles make fights and Danny would give Pacquiao a ton of issues in the ring. 

Truth be told, Pacquiao would be expected to win against either Garcia. However, if these are the two top options for Pacquiao and his return bout then he should absolutely look to take on Danny Garcia. It would be a fan friendly contest from start to finish and it would give both men a chance to add another big name fighter to their already ridiculous resumes.

Posted on 10/03/2019

By: Sean Crose

F Scott Fitzgerald, the famous American writer, once asserted that there are no second acts in American lives. This is notable for the fact that Fitzgerald sadly died before he could enter his own second act. In a sense, his words served as a self-fulfilling prophesy. Is Fitzgerald’s famous dictum true in all cases, however? Followers of boxing know the answer to be a resounding “no.” Fighters from Muhammad Ali, to George Foreman, to Bernard Hopkins have proven that American boxers can be far more than one act individuals. The story of Foreman – who went from ring heavy, to ring teddy bear, to Madison Avenue superstar – is particularly fascinating.

And now, with news that welterweight Danny Garcia is to be facing rising superstar Errol Spence Jr, fans can see if another second act of note may be at hand. While it’s true Garcia, at 35-2, is nothing if not a successful fighter, he’s no longer seen in the same light he once was. Losing a bout or two has that effect in the world of contemporary boxing. While he was once viewed as an undefeated, upper level (if not entirely ambitious) divisional bright light, competitive losses to Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman have sent the Philadelphia native into the B+/A- realm in the minds of fans and analysts. That can all change with a win over the 26-0 Spence, who is perhaps seen as the brightest star of a star filled welterweight division.

While no date has been set, no location announced, no contract signed, the Spence-Garcia match is as good as made. In the world of Al Haymon’s Premiere Boxing Champions, when two fighters are presented together in the ring before pay per view cameras, they are either about to fight that night, or are going to fight in the near future. That’s just how things are in the PBC universe (given recent buy reports, the strategy seems to be working quite well for Haymon and company). So when people saw Garcia standing before Spence after Spence’s victory over the wildly entertaining Porter last Saturday, fans knew a Spence-Garcia fight was on. They may have wanted Spence-Crawford, or Spence-Pacquiao, but they understood right then and there that Spence-Garcia would be next.

And, frankly, it’s not a bad match to make. Perhaps not pay per view worthy – at least on paper – but a quality matchup nonetheless. Garcia is a good fighter. A very good fighter. He also has a considerable fan base. The question now is, can he beat Spence, who is clearly an exceptional fighter? Garcia has shown what he can do before. Wins against Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan, and Paulie Malignaggi have proven just how effective he is. People view Spence, though, as another story entirely. As Floyd Mayweather has made clear, there’s levels to boxing – and fans and analysts currently view Spence as being a half or full level above most of the top names out there.

That doesn’t mean, however, that fans and analysts can’t be proven wrong. As Amir Khan learned in his 2012 battle with Garcia, all it takes is one good punch from the fighter known as “Swift” for things to end rather abruptly.

Posted on 04/20/2019

By: Hans Themistode

What a statement!

Adrian Granados suffered the first stoppage loss of his career tonight at the Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson California at the hands of Danny Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs). Granados is known for his aggressive come forward style, along with his granite chin but that aforementioned chin could not hold up to the power of Garcia tonight. During the build up of the fight, Garcia warned Granados that he would do what others have not, and that is stop the Chicago native.

In round one Garcia came out aggressive. He landed a monster left hand that had his opponent visibly hurt. Not to be outdone, Granados landed a few good shots of his own but it was Garcia who thoroughly dominated the action early on.

The second round for the former two division world champion was a superb one. Garcia caught his man with a huge left hook, one that Granados did not see him coming. Shortly after Granados hit the deck. He managed to make to his feet and did not seem to be in serious trouble. Garcia gave his opponent no time to relax as a right hand by Garcia landed with just a few seconds left on the clock. Again, Granados hit the deck.

After a great round two, the rest of the contest was a bit more of a balanced playing field. Garcia continued to have more success than his opponent but Granados had his moments.

Garcia landed hard shot after hard shot which in turn made Granados back peddle for the majority of the contest. Round five saw Garcia score yet another knockdown, but once again Granados managed to jump back up to his feet.

As we went to round seven, it was becoming increasingly clear that Garcia was on his way to an easy decision victory. However, that was not enough as he poured on the power shots and combination punching which forced the referee to put a halt to the contest.

Granados has never been known as a world beater, but he has always been incredibly durable. He has faced former champion Adrian Broner and current WBC title holder Shawn Porter. Although he lost both of those contest he was never in any danger of being seriously hurt. Garcia put the rest of the Welterweight division on notice. Many have written him off, thinking that his days as a contender were over but think again.

Sure, Garcia had a dominant performance tonight but he isn’t the only one who performed at a high level as both Heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr (32-1, 21 KOs) and Super Bantamweight fighter Brandon Figueroa (19-0, 14 KOs) dominated their opposition as well. For Ruiz he picked up a fifth round stoppage win over Alexander Dimitrenko (41-5, 26 KOs).

Dimitrenko just had no answers for Ruiz who was the much better boxer and had his hand speed on full display. Although Ruiz was at a large deficit in terms of height and reach, it didn’t matter tonight as Ruiz quite simply beat up his larger opponent to the tune of a fifth round stoppage.

Also on the card, Brandon Figueroa not only had a dominant performance but he also picked up the interim WBA Super Bantamweight title against Yonfrez Parejo (22-4-1, 11 KOs).

The contest started off close as both men had plenty of success. Through four rounds it was anybody’s contest. The fifth round however, changed the landscape of the fight as Figueroa hurt his man. The punishment continued as the rounds went by. After eight rounds Parejo could no longer continue and was forced to withdraw from the contest.

All three men made impressive statements tonight. They have all solidified their positions as top contenders in their respective divisions.

Posted on 04/17/2019

By: Rahat Haque

All eyes will be turned towards Khan vs. Crawford this Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Several articles have been written on that fight in this very site, including one by the author of this article. However, there is another fight that will take place on the same night on the other coast, in Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California. Danny Garcia vs Adrian Granados. While the Fox card will carry much lesser intrigue than its ESPN counterpart, it is still a match worth watching.

Danny Garcia is the bigger name, and will be drawing most of the audience for the fight. Here is a man who has worked very hard to climb up the ranks and make himself a name in the sport of boxing. But whatever Danny does, he is always seen as the underdog against legitimate opposition. His fans will remind you of that no doubt, but it is a valid criticism from the neutrals. There is something in Danny’s game that is not convincing enough to make you think he will cruise past his opponents. He was the underdog vs Khan and Matthysse. He did win both fights, but most claim the victory versus Khan to be a work of Khan’s own undoing. Similarly, most claim the victory over Matthysse as a result of the cut on Lucas’s right eye, which bothered the Argentinian slugger for most of the fight. Fans also frown upon the fact that he took too many low blows from Danny in that encounter.

Regarding Danny’s demolition jobs against Rod Salka and Paulie Malignaggi, he is again discredited as having cherry picked his opponents. The Rod Salka matchmaking was a shocker, and Malignaggi was already over the hill. Most fans looked at the latter as setting up an old man up for a devastating left hook, which is of course how things turned out. Then there were also the controversial decisions where people felt Danny got the nod. The Lamont Peterson fight was extremely close, I attended that fight live at Barclays Center as a matter of fact. I did score it for Danny, but by only one round. The Herrera fight in Puerto Rico was the much bigger controversy. The majority of the boxing world agreed that Danny was beneficiary of some home cooking.

So as Danny Garcia raked up the wins prior to his first defeat versus Thurman, it was not at all a stellar critique free resume from his end. He won all right, but fans were hesitant in giving him credit because either they disagreed with the scorecards, or they thought the opposition was too weak, or they believed he got lucky. The bubble was supposed to burst against Keith Thurman for the Philadelphia pugilist. It did. That was no surprise again to most observers. Thurman was one of the big stars at 147. But could Danny bounce back and beat Shawn Porter with his boxing skills and power? It would be an easier task than the Thurman fight, and if Danny was as good as his loyalists said he was, he should have had no problems negating the athleticism and work rate of Shawn Porter with his mix of skills and power. But he could not overcome Porter and ended up with another loss. That was the low point of Danny Garcia’s career, his boxing nadir.

Come this Saturday night, it is his chance to get back to winning ways against Adrián Granados. Even though a bigger name opposition would be preferable, at least he did not reach down to the level of boxer-cum-trainers like Rod Salka. No disrespect intended for Lightning Rod, he is very knowledgeable about the game, but he himself would tell you that he is a journeyman and was on no one’s radar when the fight between him and Danny first got announced. That is not the case with Granados. Here is a man who has quietly build himself a reputation ever since surprising Amir Imam with a TKO. Imam was considered a rising prospect until then. But does Adrián have the firepower to trouble Danny? It is unlikely. Danny has demonstrated he has a great chin versus Peterson and Rios. Some heavy punches were landed throughout the course of those fights, but none which rocked Garcia too badly. Also, if this fight should at any point turn into a shootout, Granados would not be wise to trade hooks with Garcia. Granados has guts definitely, it shows in the way he fights, and his tempo can take fighters by surprise. But what Danny has is experience and calculated power, which he can unleash when in range. If Adrián come rushing in, he is setting himself up. That will be playing into former welterweight champion’s style, where he favors being the non-aggressor. However, if Adrián chooses his moments when to be on the front foot, but also mix it up by urging Danny to come forward, à la Mauricio Herrera, it should make for an interesting fight.

The most likely outcome is an easy decision win for Garcia, where Granados gets debilitated throughout the course of the fight by Danny’s punches, but continues his charge as an aggressor, albeit with less fervor. This will be the dream sequence for Danny, where he can connect cleanly every time as a weakened Granados comes charging forward. But at the same light, it is also a banana peel for Danny. He is not one of the biggest names in the division anymore after the back-to-back defeats, but because he has crossed that fame threshold, any losses against upstarts like Granados will not look good at all! So while we hold our breaths for the Khan Crawford fight, we might as well pay attention to the fight taking place on the west coast. The more polished Danny is the overwhelming favorite, but Granados is a live underdog.

Posted on 09/09/2018

By: Sean Crose

The Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York hosted the WBC welterweight title bout between Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia on Saturday before Showtime cameras. The belt, which was open due to mutli titlist Keith Thurman’s abdication, offered the opportunity for two of the biggest names in the perennially competitive welterweight division to prove who was the better man in the ring.

First on the Showtime card was a 10 round heavyweight contest between the undefeated 17-0 Adam Kownacki and former titlist Charles Martin, 25-1-1. The hard hitting Brooklyn native, by way of Poland, banged away at Martin early on in the first, with Martin offering little in the way of resistance. The second round showcased more of the same. Kownacki’s pace slowed bit in the third, but by the middle of the fourth, he had his man hurt. The bout essentially remained the same throughout the middle rounds. Martin simply didn’t look to be in the fight.

Photo Credit: Showtime TWitter Account

Stepping things up a but, Martin carried the seventh with activity. He also landed effectively in the eighth, taking his second round in a row. The ninth round was a very close affair, with both men throwing and landing hard. The fight had developed a neck and neck feel, but the early rounds might have cost Martin the fight. Regardless of outcome, the final round was absolutely explosive, with each man firing away and giving it his all. Kowacki ended up walking out of the ring with a UD victory.

Next up was a welterweight throwdown between Yordenis Ugas, 22-3, and the 34-3-2 Cesar Barrioneuevo in a scheduled 12 round elimination battle. The first was fast paced, but the discipline and sharp body work of Ugas told the tale. Barrioneuevo looked outclassed in the second and third as Ugas continued to work the body. The Cuban’s foundation and body work were showing him to be a level above his Argentine counterpart. As the fight headed into the middle rounds, it was essentially more of the same Ugas was simply proving to be the more skilled of the two fighters.

Photo Credit: Showtime Twitter Account

By the eighth, Ugas was ready to ended. The first half of the round saw the Cuban throw furiously at Barrioneuevo, though the game Barrioneuevo survived the onslaught. The fight more or less leveled out after that. Fans at the Barclays Center booed, but there was no denying the disciplined contender was carrying the fight away. Ugas simply dominated from beginning to end, but was not powerful enough to put his game opponent away (which may have had as much to do with Barrionuevo’s chin than it did Ugas’ blows). After the final bell, an obvious UD decision went Ugas’ way.

It was time for the main event. Garcia stepped into the ring with a record of 34-1, while Porter boasted a 28-2-1 resume. The first was a tight affair that Porter may have edged slightly. The second round was razor sharp, yet Garcia looked to perhaps have landed the sharper punches. Garcia landed a beautiful right early in the third, then landed a nice left a few seconds later. Garcia was also avoiding Porter’s right hook effectively. Porter came alive in the fourth, ripping into Garcia’s body. Garcia came back strong in the fifth, landing effectively to the body in his own right.

Photo Credit:Showtime Twitter Account

The sixth saw Porter upping the action. The Ohio native then began to really take it to his man in the seventh. Garcia was very game, though – and very dangerous. Garcia looked better in the eight and ninth, though Porter’s attack was fierce. The tenth was an all out war with each man throwing and landing hard. Things remained close in the eleventh, with Porter going strong to the body, but Garcia having moments of his own. Things ended close, though Garcia looked to have taken the twelfth with cleaner shots.

It was a close bout that could have went either way, but the judges ruled it for Porter with scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113.

Posted on 09/07/2018

by: Sean Crose

Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia will meet in a highly anticipated showdown Saturday night for the WBC welterweight title that was vacated by Keith Thurman. The bout will be the featured attraction on a Showtime card that will begin airing live at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time from the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York. Both Porter, 28-2-1, and Garcia, 34-1, have lost close bouts to Thurman. What’s more, this is a match which is essentially seen as an even matchup…as well as a step towards a clearer picture of the welterweight pecking order.

Photo Credit: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

With Thurman still holding the WBA crown, rising star Errol Spence in possession of the IBF title, and Top Rank promoted Terence Crawford owning the WBO strap, the post Mayweather era has been a bit chaotic for the welterweight division. The infrequent ring appearances of many PBC (Premiere Boxing Champions) fighters like Thurman, Spence, Garcia, and Porter, coupled with promotional and network issues between PBC and Top Rank, have made the discovery of a true welterweight king very hard to arrive at. Still, simply knowing who among the top fighters in the division can best who offers at least some sense of clarity. Stylistically, Saturday’s match between the extremely aggressive Porter and the disciplined, sharp punching Garcia, might also make for intriguing viewing.

This weekend’s card will also feature a WBC weltwerweight title elimination bout between the 22-3 Yordenis Ugas and the 34-3-2 Cesar Barrionuevo. Originally from Cuba and now living in Miami, Ugas has been on a hot winning streak since dropping two bouts in 2014. As for Barrionuevo, this will be the Argentine’s first bout on American soil, where he’s hoping to make a good impression on a road to bigger things. On top of the two welterweight battles, Showtime will also be broadcasting a heavyweight scrap from Brooklyn on Saturday night.

The 25-1-1 Charles Martin was briefly in possession of the IBF heavyweight title until he was trounced by Anthony Joshua in 2016. He’ll be on a two fight win streak when he faces the 17-0 Adam Kownacki on Saturday. Kownacki, originally of Poland, will be something of the hometown fighter, as he now resides in Brooklyn and has had numerous fights in the New York area. Having won all 17 of his bouts by knockout, he’s looking to leave his mark on the live television audience. With all but two of his own wins having been by knockout, however, Martin clearly wants re-establish himself as a top heavyweight.

Boxing guru Al Haymon’s PBC has recently signed a three-year extension with Showtime, which means top PBC bouts will be aired on Showtime for some time to come.