Danny Garcia ‘looking forward to making history’ against Erislandy Lara
Danny Garcia said he’s “looking forward to making history” when he ends a two-year layoff to fight WBA middleweight world champion Erislandy Lara in September.
The fight between Garcia (37-3-0 21 KO) and Lara (30-3-3 18 KO) will act as the co-main event to the super-middleweight bout between unified world champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14.
A massive challenge awaits Garcia, who has not fought since a majority decision win over Jose Benavidez Jr. in July 2020, while he will be fighting at middleweight for the first time. A two-division champion at light-welterweight and welterweight, the Philadelphia has also competed at junior-middleweight but never as heavy as 160lbs.
“I’ve got a tough fight against Lara,” Garcia said during Monday’s launch event in New York. “He’s been around as long as I’ve been around. Two, two-division champions going at it – mono a mono, September 14. It’s going to be an epic night. I’m looking forward to making history. I just feel blessed to be back. I love boxing like a fat kid loves cake.”
While Garcia never officially hung up his gloves, there had been a consensus that he had quietly retired, given his age, accomplishments, financial security, and time out of the ring.
However, the 36-year-old insisted that his break from boxing was by choice and he was simply waiting for the right opportunity to get back in the ring.
“I wasn’t off two years because I wanted to be,” Garcia said. “Boxing took a change and I sat down and waited for my opportunity. The fight was supposed to happen last year, in August, and it’s a fight I’ve been planning for and a fight that I wanted. Lara has something I want, which is a title. I have the name; he wants my name; I want his title. It makes perfect sense.”
As for the move up to middleweight, Garcia has no concerns, adding: “I feel like boxing’s all mental. You can do whatever you put your mind to. I know mentally I can do anything that I put my mind to. It’s just weight. Boxing’s about skill and will.
“At the end of the day, when you’re tired, and you’re going into those championship rounds, it’s all about who’s got the most will. They can box, but everyone knows Danny Garcia can fight. I come to fight. I know I’m great and when you’re great you take a shot at greatness and that’s why I’m here.”
For Cuba-born American Lara, this will be the third defense of his WBA middleweight title having won the vacant belt with a first-round knockout of Thomas LaManna in May 2021.
“This is not the time to be talking too much. Yes, he is good, he can think whatever he wants, but we will talk in September,” said Lara, who also held world titles at junior-middleweight. “That [the outcome] is already written down. I don’t have to tell anyone. I’m going to be the champion.”
Also added to the undercard on Monday will be a super-middleweight clash between former world champion Caleb Plant and Trevor McCumby, and Rolando Romero v Manuel Jaimes in a super-lightweight bout.
