Will Danny Garcia Retire?
Danny Garcia’s boxing career could be over following his loss against Erislandy Lara.
Lara defended his WBA Middleweight Title by stopping Garcia in round nine. That was the first stoppage loss of Garcia’s career, as Lara extended his record to 31-3-3. The 41-year-old rolled back the clock against Garcia, who looked out of sorts. Before this fight, Garcia’s last bout was against Jose Benavidez Jr. in 2022. The inactivity played a major part, as Garcia was off the pace.
The boxer has struggled with mental health issues during his time out, something which he has been vocal about. In his post-fight comments, Garcia appeared downbeat. He remained coy over his future as questions remain over whether he will retire. Garcia’s father also appeared dejected but said he would support his son’s decision regardless.
Garcia Reacts
“I’m okay. I came off a two-year layoff and tried to be great, and it wasn’t my night. No excuses. I didn’t think the layoff would affect me like that, but there’s no excuses. I couldn’t find my rhythm. He had a strong jab and was controlling the distance well. At the end of the day my dad (Angel) is always gonna do what’s best for me. I tried to conquer a third division and I came up short. I’ve been at the top of the game for a long time, I take this on the chin like a true champion,” Garcia said
Garcia has had a remarkable career. He is a two-weight world champion, having won belts at 140 and 147. Garcia has faced the biggest names in the sport. He has wins over Amir Khan and Zab Judah. However, that has been accompanied by losses against Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter. His current record stands at 37-4 and at 36 years old, Garcia is at the tailend of his career.
Garcia’s Future
It is difficult to see where Garcia goes next, having failed to beat a 41-year-old for a title. The CompuBox number showed just how much Garcia struggled. He only landed 33 punches in his first fight at middleweight. Lara landed 63 in contrast, as he set a quicker pace. Lara also connected with more jabs, but a power punch sent Garcia to the canvas. Garica admitted that he only had one goal before retiring: to become a three-weight world champion.
“I want to be a three division world champion, that’s what I want to be. ‘Cause two is good, but three is a whole different kind of legacy.” “That’s why I want this Lara fight, because I feel like it makes the most sense for me right now as it is the fastest way for me to become three division. In a perfect world, I’d love to win this fight with Lara, have one more fight and then think what I want to do with my career.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m thinking about retirement, but I want to be healthy when I leave, I want to be a champion and I want to be a three division.” “That’s my dream, that’s my goal. Leave this game smart, wealthy and a great legacy and example for the kids coming behind me,” Garcia stated
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