Danny Garcia has that look about him, and that’s no hometown bias either.
Garcia and his father/trainer, Angel Garcia, hosted an open media workout on Wednesday at the DSG Boxing Gym in Philadelphia to give the boxing media an inside look at his training and preparation for his long-awaited boxing debut in his native homeland of Puerto Rico.
Garcia will make another world title defense against Maurcio Herrera (20-3, 7 KOs), of Riverside, Calif., on Saturday, March 15, in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, delayed on the West Coast).
“It’s an exciting feeling going to Puerto Rico. To go back where my dad was born, my bloodline, it means a lot to me to reach out to my fans in Puerto Rico. I just want to go out there and win on March 15.
“The Puerto Rican fans have supported me and it means a lot. I’m a Puerto Rican just like they are.
“My Spanish is coming along, I understand everything. I’ve been working on becoming more confident when speaking.
“It’s amazing to be a Puerto Rican fighter, we have a great history of fighters. I say this all the time, ‘I’m Puerto Rican, raised in Philadelphia so I got the best of both worlds. I got the Puerto Rican power and the Philly toughness. It comes a long way.
Garcia is confident, yet in no rush to try and rush his claim to boxing greatness yet.
Despite rumblings about him being a potential opponent for Floyd Mayweather at some point during the boxing kings 6-fight deal with Showtime, Garcia says he’s in no rush to call out or pressure Mayweather.
“I never call anyone out,” Garcia said. “I stay in my own lane. I work hard. And whoever they put in front of me, I guess that’s who gets beat up that day.”
Garcia spoke like a man who could possibly have the recipe to defeat Mayweather, and even made reference to Floyd’s signature defensive move.
“The shoulder roll was created in Philly,” said Garcia, referencing Mayweather’s defensive technique. “I’ve been fighting people that roll their shoulders since I was a little kid.”
The star of the show arrived late, but had a lot to say.
Angel Garcia, wearing a pair of designer sunglasses and a sweatshirt with his son’s signature on the back, arrived at the gym just after Danny finished his afternoon workout.
Angel tried to be cool calm and collective, saying that he wants to “keep it humble” and have the attention stay on the champ, instead of something said by the champ’s father.
Shortly after that, the elder Garcia started to fire off shots in his normal, straight forward manner.
“I have to let people know that Danny is 100 percent Puerto Rican. I’m trying to keep the attention on Danny so everyone knows he is Puerto Rican.
“Herrera has never fought a Puerto Rican in Puerto Rico. So you will see the difference between the Russian and the Puerto Rican.
“If one person comes or if a million people come, Danny is still the champion of the world.
“I want people to understand that Danny is Puerto Rican the same way I am.
“Puerto Rico does have a champion. Danny Garcia is right there, he is the champion.”
Garcia vs. Herrera, a 12-round WBC Super Lightweight World Title on Saturday, March 15, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Swift Promotions in association with PR Best Boxing and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. The co-main event, Deontay Wilder vs. Malik Scott, is a 12-round WBC Final Heavyweight eliminator bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions. In the main event on the SHOWTIME EXTREME portion of the card, Juan Manuel Lopez and Daniel Ponce de Leon square off in a 10-round rematch for the WBO International Junior Lightweight Title.