Danny Garcia Warns Erislandy Lara: ‘I’m The Best Fighter He’s Fought In A Long Time’
Danny Garcia has praised Erislandy Lara as a “tricky” and “skilled” fighter but warned the Cuban that he’s not shared the ring with anyone as good as him “in a long time”.
Garcia (37-3-0 21 KO) challenges WBA middleweight champion Lara (30-3-3 18 KO) at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14. Their bout will be the co-main event to the super-middleweight world title bout between unified champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga.
Garcia is aiming to achieve his “dream” of becoming a three-weight world champion but is entering a title fight after two years of inactivity. He is also making an ambitious climb to 160lbs having fought in his prime at light-welterweight and welterweight.
The Philadelphia fighter is aware of the challenge that awaits him, and while he appreciates the ability of Lara, he is full of confidence.
“Definitely, he’s a tricky fighter,” Garcia said. “He’s one of the best boxers you could get in the ring with, skill-wise. I know I got my work cut out for me. But we’re training, we got the right game plan, and we’re going to go in there and execute.”
Garcia, who won world titles at super-lightweight and welterweight, last fought in July 2022 when he defeated Jose Benavidez on a majority decision. Before that, he fought and lost to former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr in December 2020, so his bout with Lara will be only his third in the last four years.
Lara ended his own extended break from boxing earlier this year when he knocked out Michael Zerafa in March to win the WBA’s middleweight world title. At 41, the Cuban is the oldest active champion in boxing.
Despite his lack of recent fights, Garcia believes his experience against a string of prime champions will hold him in good stead when he challenges the Cuban next month.
“He’s definitely skilled,” Garcia said. “Every fighter’s skilled in different ways. Amir Khan was a hell of a talent. Keith Thurman was a hell of a talent. Zab Judah was very skillful. I think Zab is probably the hardest style to beat for my style. But as far as southpaws, I feel like I do a great job with southpaws – but he definitely is skillful. I’m definitely the best fighter he’s fought in a long time, also.”
Before Lara and Garcia complete the undercard, there are several intriguing bouts to get excited about, all involving former world champions.
Caleb Plant, who held the IBF super-middleweight title before losing it in a unification bout against Canelo, will fight Trevor McCumby. The Nashville native is aiming to return to wining ways following last December’s points defeat to David Benavidez.
Before that, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero fights Manuel Jaimes in a super-lightweight contest. Romero is coming off a damaging eighth-round knockout defeat to Isaac Cruz in March when he lost his WBA title to the Mexican.
Kicking off the main card’s undercard will be former unified super-bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton against Carlos Castro in a featherweight bout.
