Danny Garcia
Photo by Marilyn Paulino/RBRBoxing
Popularly known as Danny “Gift” Garcia, WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs) is viewed by many boxing fans as one of the most frustrating fighters to get behind. Although he has beaten renowned fighters, knocking out Amir Khan and Paulie Malignaggi, Garcia should, in no way be undefeated in 32 fights.
The first fight he was ever “gifted” was a bout in 2010 against Great Britain’s Ashley Theophane. In the bout between prospects, Garcia showed numerous flaws that nearly got him floored in the eighth round. Throughout the entire fight he was outworked, outlanded, and nearly dropped by a fighter with seven knockouts.
This did not matter however, as Garcia somehow still walked away with a split decision victory. This is not the only bout that Garcia did not deserve to win either.
Four years after this, Garcia met Mauricio Herrera in a Super lightweight title bout in Puerto Rico. This fight was a repeat of the Theophane bout.
Herrera confused Garcia constantly from hitting him at odd angles and took away his signature left hook for most of the fight. Although the fans, media, and even the commentators of the fight had Herrera clearly winning, Garcia walked away with the majority decision.
These two bouts, along with a third against Lamont “Havoc” Peterson, in which Garcia was so frustrated by Peterson’s counter punching that he shoved Havoc to the ground, have driven many fans away from supporting him.
If his inability to lose a decision wasn’t enough, Garcia also is notorious for cherry picking opponents. He will never fight good competition if the need does not present itself.
An example of this was Garcia’s slaughter of lightweight Rod “Lightning Rod” Salka.
There were literally no redeeming qualities to this matchup. Garcia was a Junior welterweight champion going up against a lightweight who wasn’t even ranked.
The unfairness of the matchup was shown on fight night as Garcia decimated Salka in two rounds, knocking him out cold. His upcoming fight is similar to this as well, fighting another non ranked fighter in Sammy Vargas.
Garcia has the skills and power to be a great fighter, but no one will ever view him as any more than a cherry picker if he does not fight legitimate competition.
