Keys for Danny Garcia
Box and Counter-Punch
If ever there were a time to box for Garcia, September 14 would be the night. Matthysse’s awkward style makes for a right hand that is wide and, if you’re experienced enough, easy to see coming.
Garcia must be able to use his jab from a distance, preferably from a high-guard boxing stance because he needs a vantage point from which he can see the wild right hand coming.
Garcia must not lunge forward with his jab because, as we saw with Matthysse’s fight with Mike Dallas Jr., a counter right hand is in his arsenal.
Go the Distance
In his fights with Judah and Alexander he lost because his opponents weren’t easy targets and, as is the case with many power punchers, his power began to decrease in the later rounds. Matthysse is just not as dominant in the later rounds, but that may also be because the ones able to take him to the distance were good boxers.
Although he has demonstrated with a late-round knockdown of Judah that he still may have power late within the fight, he nevertheless will lose the kind of power that made quick work of Peterson and Dallas.
Start Slowly, but Stand Your Ground.
In order to make the fight go the distance, Garcia must make Matthysse fight at his pace. Garcia will need to move, use his jab, and make sure Matthysse cannot get in easily.
However, if Garcia moves too much, he will boost Matthysse’s confidence. Matthysse’s fights with Peterson and Dallas Jr. show that Matthysse does really well when his opponent gets on his bicycle.
In fact, Garcia has even stated in a video interview that “he fought two people who wouldn’t back and he lost.” In other words, confidence and fearlessness against a power puncher plays a role.
Garcia will need to find a balance between standing his ground and using his boxing skills to avoid power shots to win this fight. Garcia must show respect, but not too much of it.
