Danny Garcia wants to win one more title at 147 pounds and then win one at 154 to complete his legacy.
Danny Garcia said he will eventually move up to 154 pounds in pursuit of a world title in a third weight class. Not yet, though. He has more he wants to accomplish at 147.
Garcia was tentatively scheduled to fight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. on January 25 but Spence’s horrific car accident in October forced him to change plans. He ended up easily outpointing Ivan Redkach on that date at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) still wants Spence, who holds two belts, but he has a long list of options that appeal to him.
“Yes, that’s what we want,” Garcia said on The PBC Podcast. “We want [Spence] … or Manny Pacquiao or a rematch with Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter or even Mikey Garcia. That would be a big fight. … Any of those fights could be next for me.”
And if it’s Spence?
“I feel it’s a great style for me,” Garcia said. “Porter hit him a lot. I’ve seen things in the Mikey Garcia fight that I could definitely take advantage of and defeat him.”
Garcia, 32, doesn’t expect to fight all the rivals he mentioned. He plans to fight two more times at 147, winning another welterweight title in the process, and then move up to junior middleweight.
“I definitely want to become a champion in a third division,” he said. “… It’s always been my goal to win titles at 140, 147 and 154. … I feel like I have two more big fights left at this weight class, at 147, against either a Pacquiao or a Spence and I would want to rematch Thurman or Porter and get that victory. Then there’s nothing more for me to do at 147.
“I want to win another welterweight title. I need to get one big win at 147. And then I want to win at title at 154. I feel like my legacy will be complete after that.”
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.
In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Pacquiao would do against Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Terence Crawford, Danny Garcia and Mikey Garcia. We then tally Pacquiao’s record in those fights and present our standings.
Pacquiao proved at 40 that he remained an elite fighter by outpointing Keith Thurman in July. And even after celebrating another birthday in December, more compelling challenges await the Filipino icon when the pandemic subsides.
We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.
The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 14 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
So here goes: Pacquiao vs. his five potential opponents.
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PACQUIAO (62-7-2, 39 KOs) VS. SPENCE (26-0, 21 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr. has too many advantages over Manny Pacquiao for the Filipino icon to win this fight AP Photo / Richard W. Rodriguez
Rosenthal: This is not a fight Pacquiao should take, assuming Spence is at 100 percent. It’s one thing to beat a rusty Keith Thurman who is coming back from injuries; it’s another to challenge a complete fighter like Spence. “The Truth” is simply too quick, too big, just too good for a 40-something version of Pacquiao, who can fight only in spurts. Spence will pick Pacquiao apart, break him down and stop him in the late rounds.
Frauenheim: We’re still waiting to see Spence post-accident. If he’s the same fighter, he blows away Pacquiao. He’s big enough to be a middleweight. Pacquiao should be a junior welterweight. Spence is also 11-years younger than the Filipino Senator. Spence, late round stoppage.
Nam: Pacquiao’s speed and aggression will win him the early rounds, but this is a 12-round fight. Pacquiao tends to fade and take rounds off in the second half of his most recent fights (see the Jeff Horn and Keith Thurman bouts). That’s when Spence will start to take over, clobbering Pacquiao with hard body shots. Youth and size will prevail. Spence by unanimous decision.
***
PACQUIAO VS. PORTER (30-3-1, 17 KOs)
Shawn Porter (left) gave Errol Spence hell for 12 rounds. Could Pacquiao handle his pressure? AP Photo / Ringo H.W. Chiu
Rosenthal: Terrible matchup for Pacquiao. This version of him — 41, small welterweight — has neither the energy nor the physical strength to cope with Porter’s relentless pressure over 12 rounds. Pacquiao, still skillful, will have his moments early in the fight but Porter will wear him down as the rounds go by. Porter by late KO.
Frauenheim: Porter is two inches taller and nine years younger. Those are advantages, especially for a fighter who knows how to maximize them. Porter does. But he also has a problem. He’s at his best on the inside. Pacquiao catches him when he moves in. Pacquaio beat Keith Thurman. Porter lost to him. Pacquiao, split decision.
Nam: At this stage in his career, the last thing Pacquiao wants is to go through the wringer that is Porter. Anyone remember Jeff Horn? The Aussie perhaps got lucky on the scorecards, but he bullied Pacquiao at times in their fight. Porter will bring the same physical intensity – from headbutts to half-nelsons – but at a higher level of talent and athleticism. Porter by bloody decision.
***
PACQUIAO VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)
Terence Crawford (right, against Amir Khan) would not have problems beating Pacquiao. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Rosenthal: Fun matchup, as most of Pacquiao’s are. Pacman proved against Keith Thurman that he shouldn’t be underestimated, even in his 40s. That said, Crawford is a notch above Thurman, is a more natural 147-pounder than the smallish Pacquiao and presumably wouldn’t be coming off a prolonged layoff, as Thurman was when he faced Pacquiao. Crawford is too quick, too good, too young for this version of Pacquiao. Crawford by clear decision.
Frauenheim: There’s a reason Freddie Roach has suggested there are better fights for Pacquiao. This is one he can’t win. Crawford is in his prime. Pacquiao is past his. Pacquiao showed surprising quickness against Thurman. But Thurman was limited by a hand injury. A two-fisted attack from the switch-hitting Crawford would be too much. Crawford, late-round TKO.
Nam: As inspiring as Pacquiao’s recent run has been, throttling the likes of Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman, Crawford would mark an end to the senator’s joyride. Crawford’s counterpunching ability will disrupt Pacquiao’s usual in-and-out motion. Recall that Pacquiao has historically had trouble against particularly good counterpunchers. Crawford wins on points.
***
PACQUIAO VS. D. GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOs)
Danny Garcia (left) might have a troublesome style for Pacquiao. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Rosenthal: Pacquiao has had problems with particularly effective counterpunchers in the past. Think Juan Manuel Marquez. Garcia isn’t quite at Marquez’s level but he’s made his living as a top-tier fighter by responding to his opponents’ offensive moves, particularly with his left hook. This one will go down to the wire, with Garcia winning seven rounds to five.
Frauenheim: Garcia is three inches taller and about nine years younger. He’s a good counter-puncher. His left is lethal. But he doesn’t have as varied a skill set as Porter or Thurman. He lost to both. If the 41-year-old Pacquiao’s foot speed is still there, he’ll score early and often while also eluding Garcia’s counters. Pacquiao, unanimous decision.
Nam: This is in some sense a favorable style matchup for Garcia. Pacquiao will be the aggressor, which plays right into Garcia’s counter punches. But one could also see Garcia being overwhelmed by the variety and pace of Pacquiao’s offense. Garcia isn’t a defensive wizard by any means, after all. Pacquiao wins a close decision after a highly competitive 12 rounds.
***
PACQUIAO VS. M. GARCIA (40-1, 30 KOs)
Mikey Garcia (right) proved against Jessie Vargas that he could beat a good welterweight. Tom Pennington / Getty Images
Rosenthal: Good matchup. The Pacquiao of five, six years ago probably would’ve controlled this fight with his speed and activity. The 41-year-old version of Pacquiao would have his hands full. The Filipino icon, who now fights only in spurts, will have his moments but Garcia will have more of them. His tight technique, precising punching and measured pressure would earn him the victory by a clear decision.
Frauenheim: A fight that should have happened years ago. Yet, it’s still interesting. Both looked good in their last bouts – Garcia in a unanimous victory over Jessie Vargas and Pacquiao in a split decision over Thurman. Garcia regained confidence he can be a factor at 147 pounds. His youth prevails, allowing him to score late. Garcia, unanimous decision.
Nam: Garcia has a good shot here for two reasons. First, he’s a counterpuncher by nature and counterpunchers have typically done well against Pacquiao. Second, Pacquiao is a small welterweight. Also, Garcia is conceivably much closer to his prime than Pacquiao is at this stage. Garcia wins on points in a mild upset.
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.
In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Garcia would do against Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. We then tally Garcia’s record in those fights and present our standings.
Garcia was a dominating lightweight and junior welterweight before moving up to welterweight to face Errol Spence Jr., who dominated him en route to a shutout decision in March of last year. The brother of trainer Robert Garcia bounced back by stopping contender Jessie Vargas in February, proving that he can defeat a good 147-pounder.
He reportedly is on the short list to face Pacquiao in the Filipino’s next fight.
We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.
The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 11 Artur Beterbiev.
So here goes: Garcia vs. his five potential opponents.
***
GARCIA (40-1, 30 KOs) VS. PACQUIAO (62-7-2, 39 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao (right) demonstrated against Keith Thurman that he still has it. AP Photo / John Locher
Rosenthal: Good matchup. The Pacquiao of five, six years ago probably would’ve controlled this fight with his speed and activity. The 41-year-old version of Pacquiao would have his hands full. The Filipino icon, who now fights only in spurts, would have his moments but Garcia would have more of them. His tight technique, precising punching and measured pressure would earn him the victory by a clear decision.
Frauenheim: A fight that should have happened years ago. Yet, it’s still interesting. Both looked good in their last bouts – Garcia in a unanimous victory over Jessie Vargas and Pacquiao in a split decision over Thurman. Garcia regained confidence he can be a factor at 147 pounds. His youth prevails, allowing him to score late. Garcia, unanimous decision.
Nam: Garcia has a good shot here for two reasons. First, he’s a counterpuncher by nature and counterpunchers have typically done well against Pacquiao. Second, Pacquiao is a small welterweight. Also, Garcia is conceivably much closer to his prime than Pacquiao is at this stage. Garcia wins on points in a mild upset.
***
GARCIA VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)
Terence Crawford could be too strong, too good for Mikey Garcia. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Rosenthal: Crawford isn’t a big welterweight but he’s stronger than Garcia, who is a natural 140-pounder. More important, as good as Garcia is skillwise, Crawford is better, more athletic and certainly more dynamic. Crawford would pick Garcia apart, break him down and score a technical knockout late in the fight.
Frauenheim: Garcia’s toughest fight. Garcia has a versatile skill set, one that he employs with great discipline. Crawford’s versatility is complemented by his quicksilver ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw. That figures to be a problem for Garcia in a fight that starts slowly and ends dramatically. Crawford, spit decision.
Nam: Crawford is all wrong for Garcia. They’ll try to outbox each other in the early going, with Garcia landing some nice right hands. But Crawford, one of the better improvisers in the ring, will start imposing himself in the second half of the fight. It’ll be violent. Garcia will get mauled. Crawford by late stoppage.
***
GARCIA VS. PORTER (30-3-1, 17 KOs)
Shawn Porter (right) gave the performance of his career in defeat against Errol Spence Jr.. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
Rosenthal: This isn’t a good matchup for Garcia, whose relative lack size will be his Achilles’ heel. Think about what Porter did against Spence, who went to hell and back to win a close decision in their fight. Garcia would have much more difficulty coping with the bruising Porter’s relentless aggression. Porter by wide decision.
Frauenheim: Porter is slightly bigger. He’s an inch taller and has an inch-and-a-half advantage in reach. Both advantages appear minimal, but Porter uses them effectively. He’s physical, strong on the inside, which was a factor versus Errol Spence, who beat him by split decision and dominated Garcia. Porter, split decision.
Nam: There are better ways to earn a living than going through the grinder that is Porter. Garcia will have success landing his counter right the way Kell Brook did against Porter many years ago, but he won’t be able to do it for 12 rounds. Eventually Porter’s kitchen sink aggression will wear out the much smaller Garcia. Porter wins late by stoppage.
***
GARCIA VS. D. GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOs)
Danny Garcia (left, against Ivan Redkach) is always competitive. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Rosenthal: The battle of the Garcias would be compelling. Mikey probably is the better boxer but Danny is an excellent, experienced counterpuncher who belongs at welterweight, which will work in his favor. Mikey will attack and have success in the first half of the fight but Danny will take control in the second half and win a close decision.
Frauenheim: A tricky fight. Danny Garcia is a little taller and has a reach advantage over Mikey. So did Jessie Vargas. Danny Garcia isn’t strong enough to wear down Mikey. But there’s lethal speed in his left hand. Is that enough to beat the multi-skilled Mikey? Not over 12 rounds. Mikey Garcia, unanimous decision.
Nam: No one is going to be clamoring to see two natural counterpunchers, but for what it’s worth, both Garcias are decent punchers. In this case, Mikey is a bit more dynamic and is a better puncher at range. Danny is best when he’s in closer and he can unfurl his coveted left hook. Amid all the feinting, expect Mikey to find a home for his overhand right. Mikey by unanimous decision.
***
GARCIA VS. THURMAN (29-1, 22 KOs)
Thurman (right) said his loss to Pacquiao in July has motivated him. AP Photo / John Locher
Rosenthal: Thurman is a big, strong, talented welterweight, which might not bode well for Garcia. The problem for Thurman is that injuries and time off have taken a toll on him, as we saw in his fight with Pacquiao. Thurman at 100 percent probably beats Garcia but we might never see that version of him again. Garcia by close decision.
Frauenheim: A couple of years ago, Thurman wins this fight. He’s strong. His long arms possess some lethal leverage. But injuries are a sign that he’s not quite the same fighter. A lingering injury to his left hand limited him in a narrow loss to Pacquiao. A healthy Thurman has a chance. Garcia, unanimous decision.
Nam: Even with all of his injuries, Thurman is a natural welterweight whose size, length and punching power immediately dwarfs that of Garcia. Thurman can also be somewhat elusive, given the way he tends to flit around the ring. All of which spells bad news for Garcia, who needs to be able to get in close to do any damage. If Thurman is as disciplined as Spence in not allowing Garcia to get comfortable, it’ll be his fight to lose. Thurman on points.
Mikey Garcia is staying put at the welterweight limit, he said in a recent interview on the Chris Mannix podcast.
Mikey Garcia is a boxer first and businessman-cum-pragmatist a close, close second.
The four-division titleholder has his eyes dead set on winning a world title at the 147-pound welterweight limit even though there are some, such as his father Eduardo and brother/trainer Robert, who believe that he would be better served dropping back down to 140, where the fights ostensibly would be more winnable.
Given the way Garcia, a former featherweight, struggled against welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. last year, the elder Garcias are concerned that Mikey simply gives up too much size to be truly competitive against the likes of Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia and Terence Crawford.
Mikey Garcia demonstrated against Jessie Vargas last month that he can handle a good welterweight. Tom Pennington / Getty Images
Garcia’s recent points win over fringe welterweight contender Jesse Vargas in February arguably produced as many questions as answers.
“[My father and brother] still tell me, ‘You know, now that I did it (win a fight at welterweight) maybe I should consider coming back down to 140,'” Garcia said on the Chris Mannix Boxing Podcast. “They still feel like I’m a small fighter at 147, I’m too small. My dad especially. He feels like 140 pounds should be a better weight for me to be fighting at.
“Men at 140 are more comparable to my size. He still reminds me all the time. I was a featherweight, so size-wise, I’m not [that big].”
Garcia gets his family’s concerns. But the realist in him also knows 147 is where the big paydays are. A Manny Pacquiao fight could materialize later this year or whenever the coronavirus pandemic subsides. And nobody, at least as the welterweight division is concerned, brings in as much dough as Pacquiao.
Moreover, negotiations aren’t hampered by political divisions that routinely prevent some of the best fights from being made. Both are aligned with Premier Boxing Champions, as are most of the other top welterweights.
“I still feel that my abilities, my skills allow me to compete at 147, and I feel like I can win a title at 147, and that’s part of the challenge,” Garcia said. “I want to challenge myself. Not to say that at 140 there’s no challenges. Of course there are. But when you look at the politics and business, it’s going to be a bit more complicated to secure a world-title fight at 140, being that both champions are with different promotional companies.”
Garcia (right) was overwhelmed by Errol Spence in March of last year but was determined to stay at 147 pounds. AP Photo / Richard W. Rodriguez
At 140, the four recognized titles are split evenly between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor. Of course, the kicker is that they’re both promoted (read: controlled) by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Garcia’s former promoter.
Garcia and Arum went through an ugly, protracted legal battle a few years ago. As a result, they don’t do business together these days. The bad blood apparently is still there. The irascible Arum went so far as to claim recently that he has no desire to work with Garcia ever again. Add to that the fact that Ramirez is trained by Robert Garcia, and it’s easy to see why Garcia has little faith that big fights at 140 can happen for him.
“I just don’t feel like I’m going to be able to secure a world title shot at 140 anytime soon,” Garcia said. “So I think my chances are good at 147.”
It’s a no-brainer for Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs). At 147, there’s more money, more challenges and most of all, no Arum.
“[My family] understand[s] that it’s my call to make the decision,” Garcia said. “I do consider their opinions very much and I do see their reasoning behind why 140 is a better weight class for me, but, like I said, when I look at politics, when I look at business, it’s going to be almost impossible to get one of those world title fights at 140.
“I just don’t want to be fighting contenders and waiting and waiting and waiting. 147 is a bigger challenge, but I still feel confident that I can accomplish what I want. I want to win a world title at welterweight.”
Lightweight titleholder Vasiliy Lomachemko, Boxing Junkie’s No. 1 fighter pound-for-pound, would be another intriguing matchup for Garcia. Two problems, though. One, moving back down to 135 would be difficult. And, two, Lomachenko is an Arum fighter.
“Look, you need to ask Bob,” Garcia said when asked about the Lomachenko matchup. “He controls them. He’s their promoter. I just saw a recent interview with him where he didn’t have much interest in a fight with me. I’m not waiting for anybody.”
Garcia is chasing both top risk and reward. Any criticism is just more fuel for the fire.
“That’s part of the risk, but that’s also part of the reward,” Garcia said. “You win a title in a fifth division when nobody thought you could do it, and that’s in the history books.
“Just because everybody thinks I can’t [win a title at 147], that just motivates me even more.”
In Boxing Junkie’s “Who Wins?” series today we feature No. 2-rated Terence Crawfrod, who faces five tough welterweight opponents.
Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.
We started yesterday with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, who faced Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Miguel Berchelt and Ryan Garcia in our mthyical fights.
Lomachenko went 14-0-1 (3 KOs) in those bouts, setting a high standard for those who follow.
Today our featured fighter is No. 2-rated Terence Crawford, who has been pitted against Errol Spence, Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia in the deep welterweight division. As in the case of Lomachenko, our staffers – Michael Rosenthal, Norm Frauenheim and Sean Nam – give their picks in each of those five fights.
We then tally Crawford’s record in those fights and present our standings for the first time.
We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups.
And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.
The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day, meaning we’ll focus on No. 3 Canelo Alvarez tomorrow.
So here goes: Crawford vs. his five potential opponents.
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CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs) VS. SPENCE (26-0, 21 KOs)
Errol Spence (at left against Shawn Porter) could be Terence Crawford’s toughest fight at 147 pounds. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
Rosenthal: Crawford is a better all-around fighter than Spence, quicker, more athletic, more dynamic, more power pound-for-pound. The problem for him is that Spence is almost as good as he is (assuming he has fully recovered from his crash) and the naturally bigger, stronger man, which would determine the winner. They would engage in a competitive, give-and-take fight until Crawford wears down and Spence pulls away. Spence by a close decision.
Frauenheim: It’s the fight everyone wants to see. But it’s getting perilously close to a past-due date. Crawford is 32. Spence hasn’t fought since an auto accident. Is he the same? If he is, it’s a classic. Spence has size, power. Crawford has precision in both hands. His instincts are deadly. Crawford, split decision.
Nam: Much of this depends on whether Spence is the same fighter he was before his hellacious car crash last year. If not, it’s hard to see Spence as the favorite. Crawford has yet to face a top-tier welterweight but the way in which he has dispatched his past several opponents suggests he is a difficult proposition for any elite 147-pounder. His versatility – ability to switch hit, fight off the back point, counter, come forward, finish, et al. – is precisely why Spence, despite his superior size and power at the weight, can’t afford to lose a step. Crawford by unanimous decision.
***
CRAWFORD VS. MANNY PACQUIAO (62-7-2, 39 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao (here punching Keith Thurman) proved that he has a lot left to give. AP Photo / John Locher
Rosenthal: Fun matchup, as most of Pacquiao’s are. Pacman proved against Keith Thurman that he shouldn’t be underestimated, even in his 40s. That said, Crawford is a notch above Thurman, wouldn’t be at a size disadvantage against the smallish Pacquiao and presumably wouldn’t be coming off a long layoff, as Thurman was when he faced Pacquiao. Crawford is too quick, too good, too young for this version of Pacquiao. Crawford by clear decision.
Frauenheim: There’s a reason Freddie Roach has suggested there are better fights for Pacquiao. This is one he can’t win. Crawford is in his prime. Pacquiao is past his. Pacquiao showed surprising quickness against Thurman. But Thurman was limited by a hand injury. A two-fisted attack from the switch-hitting Crawford would be too much. Crawford, late-round TKO.
Nam: As inspiring as Pacquiao’s recent run has been, throttling the likes of Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman, Crawford would mark an end to the senator’s joyride. Crawford’s counterpunching ability will disrupt Pacquiao’s usual in-and-out motion. Recall that Pacquiao has historically had trouble against particularly good counterpunchers. Crawford wins on points.
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CRAWFORD VS. PORTER (30-3-1, 17 KOs)
Porter (right) proved against Spence that he could give anyone problems. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
Rosenthal: Porter is a difficult matchup for anyone because of his relentless, swarming style, as he proved against Spence. And, again, Crawford would be at a size and strength disadvantage. Like Spence, Crawford would have to work for everything he gets in this fight and would be fortunate to have his hand raised. He’s tougher than people realize, though, and will emerge with a razor-thin decision.
Frauenheim: Crawford’s toughest fight. Porter’s smarts are matched by durability. Porter is effective inside and he gets there with foot speed. On the inside, he can limit Crawford’s leverage and angles. Crawford will be careful early, adjust and do enough damage late to win a narrow decision.
Nam: Fighting Porter is like climbing over a barbed wire fence: You’re going to come out the other side with cuts and scrapes. Crawford would be no exception. Porter’s aggressiveness (read: roughhouse tactics) will give Crawford lots to chew on in the early going. But expect the Omaha native to adjust in the second half of the bout and start finding ways to tag Porter cleanly en route to a unanimous decision.
***
CRAWFORD VS. THURMAN (29-1, 22 KOs)
Keith Thurman (right) said his loss to Manny Pacquiao in July has motivated him. AP Photo / John Locher
Rosenthal: Thurman might have a slight size and strength advantage over Crawford, as well as more experience against top 147-pounders, but that’s it. Crawford is a better fighter than Thurman is every conceivable way, particularly a Thurman who has battled injuries. Crawford withstands whatever Thurman has to offer, outboxes him and wins a clear decision. Of these matchups, this could be the easiest for Crawford.
Frauenheim: If healthy, Thurman is dangerous. But injuries have forced him out of his power-first style. He was careful in losing to Pacquiao because of a hand injury. He showed he could adjust. He’d have to make many adjustments against Crawford, whose style is defined by seemingly endless adjustments. Crawford, unanimous decision.
Nam: Thurman is currently out of commission nursing yet another injury. When he returns, who knows if he’ll be the same. He claims he wasn’t 100% in his points loss against Pacquiao. Hard to give any welterweight a chance against Crawford if you’re not at your best. Though Thurman boasts a fearsome straight right, he has not stopped any opponent since shopworn Luis Collazo in 2015. His chin is also a concern. He was buzzed dangerously by Josesito Lopez and was dropped once and hurt badly to the body against Pacquiao. Crawford will walk him down late and stop him.
***
CRAWFORD VS. GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOs)
Danny Garcia (left) has found ways to win throughout his career. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Rosenthal: Garcia is a better fighter than he gets credit for. He is an excellent counterpuncher and has a lot of pop in his punches, which makes him competitive in any fight. He would give Crawford more trouble than some might expect. In the end, though, Crawford’s all-around ability would be too much for a game, but slightly overmatched Garcia. Crawford wins a clear decision in a competitive fight.
Frauenheim: It’s a tricky fight. Garcia is a counter-puncher, as good as any. His left is dangerous. Underestimate it and you’re Amir Khan, whom he stopped in 2012. By now, Crawford knows about that left. He also has more than enough in his skill set to elude the power while landing his own counters with both hands. Crawford, unanimous decision.
Nam: Early on, it’s a tactical fight between two superb counterpunchers. But as the fight progresses and both men open up, expect Garcia’s somewhat plodding footwork and subpar power at the weight to work against him in the late rounds of the fight. Crawford, who has a knack for tailoring his game plan to his opponent, will gradually break down Garcia, stopping him late.
Errol Spence Jr. reiterated that he plans to overcome frustrating obstacles and fight Terence Crawford no later than next year.
Errol Spence Jr. reiterated that Terence Crawford remains in his plans.
The welterweight titleholder, who has recovered from his horrible car crash in October, insists the fight can – and will – happen in spite of the fighters’ competing promotional-managerial and television loyalties.
“[That fight can happen] whenever, this year or next. We are going to fight. If we do not fight this year, it will definitely be next year,” Spence said to FightHype.com.
Spence was expected to fight Danny Garcia early this year but those plans changed the moment Spence’s Ferrari hit a center median and flipped multiple times, ejecting the boxer. Somehow he survived and has returned to training.
He reportedly is targeting Garcia again for a fight this summer, assuming the coronavirus shutdown ends and boxers are able to get back to work.
Spence also had been a possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao but the Filipino icon appears to focusing his efforts on making a fight with Mikey Garcia this summer.
Meanwhile, Crawford, a Top Rank fighter whose top rivals are aligned with Premier Boxing Champions, has had trouble finding legitimate opponents since becoming a 147-pounder.
While the PBC welterweights have been fighting each other the past few years, Crawford has fought Jeff Horn, Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan and Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Those foes were solid but no where near Crawford’s level.
And Crawford reportedly has not embraced the possibility of facing Shawn Porter, the PBC fighter who lost a close decision to Spence last September and a genuine threat to Crawford. The Nebraskan is reportedly leaning toward a fight with Kell Brook, who was stopped by Spence in 2017.
Brook outpointed Porter in 2014 but most observers believe the Brit is in decline, which means he would be perceived as another second-tier opponent for Crawford.
Maybe Crawford is holding out his best-possible opponent, Spence. That’s certainly the fight fans want to see. And apparently Spence does too.
Roman Gonzalez reached into his glorious past to break down and then knock out unbeaten Kal Yafai on Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
GOOD
Never underestimate a great fighter.
Roman Gonzalez seemed to be finished as top-tier star when he lost back to back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2017, including a brutal fourth-round knockout in the second meeting. The death of his longtime trainer and a knee injury that required surgery seemed to seal his fate as a has-been.
“Chocolatito’s” career had run its course. Too old (32), particularly for such a small fighter. Too shop worn, the result of many wars. And too small. He seemed to hit a weight ceiling.
Yes, it was a tall order to think such a little, worn out man could take down unbeaten and rising junior bantamweight titleholder Kal Yafai on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas card Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
Turned out there were two more factors not everyone took into account: ability and determination.
Gonzalez looked a lot like the pre-Sor Rungvisai Gonzalez against Yafai, who learned the hard way how good one of his boxing idols could be in the flesh. Gonzalez outworked Yafai (landing twice as many power punches as the Englishman), broke him down in brutal fashion and ultimately knocked him out in the ninth round.
The moment Gonzalez’s big right hand put a beaten Yafai down and out in the ninth round was a flash back to a time when the Nicaraguan was considered an absolute marvel. Vintage “Chocolatito.”
Is it time to put him back onto our pound-for-pound lists? No, not yet. Probably not ever again. But he gave us at least one last demonstration of why he has been one of the greatest fighters – in any division – of his generation.
And who knows? He might have more such performances in him. Fighters like Sor Rungvisai and Juan Francisco Estrada await. I wouldn’t put anything past “Chocolatito.”
BAD
Mikey Garcia (right) was able to handle Jessie Vargas but how would he fare against the likes of Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia? Tom Pennington / Getty Images
There was nothing “bad” about Mikey Garcia’s performance against Jessie Vargas on Saturday. He should be applauded for a solid comeback victory.
The “bad” could describe what might follow.
I believe Garcia proved against a solid opponent that he remains an elite fighter, one who arguably deserves to be on pound-for-pound lists. He fought patiently early in the fight, had his best moments in the middle rounds – including a fifth-round knockdown – and was strong at the finish.
The result: scores of 114-113, 116-111 and 116-111 in his favor. Well deserved.
The problem is that Vargas, as big as he was compared to Garcia, isn’t equal to the likes of Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. They are true 147-pounders but also better than Vargas, which is where Mikey Garcia ran into trouble in his previous fight.
Spence dominated him en route to a shutout decision in March of last year, which raised questions about the ability of a natural 140-pounder – if that – to compete against an elite welterweight. He got past Vargas. But how would Mikey Garcia do against Porter, Danny Garcia or Thurman?
It might not turn out pretty. Yes, the big, lucrative fights are at 147 but there also is money to be made at 140. That’s where he belongs.
That said, there is one welterweight who wouldn’t have a natural size advantage over Mikey Garcia: the 41-year-old Manny Pacquiao, who also is not a natural 147-pounder. That fight would come down to ability, not any physical advantages.
And Garcia might just have enough of it to give Pacquiao trouble if he gets that fight. He could become a titleholder in a fifth division yet.
WORSE
It will be difficult for Deontay Wilder to bounce back from the beating he took from Tyson Fury on Feb. 22. Al Bello / Getty Images
Deontay Wilder formally exercised the clause in his rematch contract with Tyson Fury that provides for a third fight between them.
That makes sense from a business standpoint, at least in the short term. If he doesn’t take it now, there are no guarantees he’ll ever get a crack at Fury again. And, of course, he’ll make more money in Fury-Wilder III than any other fight.
The decision makes less sense from a boxing standpoint. How could he possibly turn the tables on Fury after what we saw on Feb. 22?
He’s in a similar position to Anthony Joshua after he was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. I thought it was a mistake for Joshua to take an immedaiate rematch because of the conclusive nature of the first fight. I thought it would be smarter to rebuild his confidence in one or two less-challenging fights and then face Ruiz again.
Well, we know what happened. Joshua didn’t give an inspiring performance but he thoroughly outboxed a sadly out of shape Ruiz in the rematch to regain the titles and clout he lost in the first fight.
The Wilder-Fury situation is different. Most important, Ruiz is no Fury. No one could outbox the “Gypsy King.” And, at least in terms of boxing ability, Wilder is no Joshua. I’m not sure he can make adjustments necessary to make a third fight with Fury more competitive then their second other than wear a lighter costume into the ring.
I think Fury would have to pull a Ruiz for Wilder to beat him, meaning he would have to enter the ring utterly unprepared for a fight. Fury has a history of volatility but, when it comes to boxing, I don’t see him entering the ring at that sort of disadvantage.
Crazy things happen in boxing, though. And the thought of Wilder beating Fury in their third fight is crazy.
Shawn Porter believes there’s credence to the claim that PBC welterweights are actively avoiding Top Rank-promoted Terence Crawford.
Last December, during an ESPN/Top Rank broadcast, analyst Tim Bradley fired a broadside toward the elite welterweights aligned with rival outfit Premier Boxing Champions: Stop ducking Top Rank fighter Terence Crawford.
Bradley believes that Crawford can’t land a significant fight because top PBC fighters are avoiding him. That group includes Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia. Of course, one could accuse Bradley, once a Top Rank fighter, of simply supporting company interests, given both he and Crawford receive paychecks from ESPN.
But it doesn’t appear to be an entirely partisan opinion.
On Friday, Shawn Porter, a top PBC welterweight and Fox analyst, was asked whether he had a chance to speak to Bradley about his comments given that both were on the commentating team for Saturday’s Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury card.
Porter’s response? He smiled and said “no,” that he had no such plans. In fact, he agreed wholeheartedly with Bradley. But he wanted to make one thing clear: Bradley wasn’t talking about him.
“When Tim called out the PBC stable, he knew who he was talking about and he knew who he wasn’t talking about,” Porter told FightHubTV. “He wasn’t talking about Shawn Porter.
“Tim knows. We’re from the same place. We do whatever it takes, whenever it takes. He knows that about me. He knows that I’m a fighter and that I’ll fight everybody whenever the time is right.”
Why is Porter so confident that Bradley wasn’t talking about him? The proof is on his list of opponents: virtually all of the top welterweight contenders and titleholders of the past half decade can be found there.
Asked whether he felt that Bradley had a legitimate case, Porter replied, “Absolutely, absolutely.”
Then Porter doubled down.
“Even within PBC there’s fighters avoiding fighters within PBC, OK?” he said. “Guys are not fighting with their hearts, they’re fighting with their brains, and what I mean by that is that they’re trying to figure out how much money they can make and who’s the easiest one out there for me to take on.
“And that’s not fair to you guys (the fans). We’re getting to a point now where you can’t duck anybody, even on the PBC side.”
There’s no ducking with the 32-year-old Porter, who doesn’t plan to change his pattern of taking on the top contenders anytime soon.
“You just saw me get it on with Errol Spence and you’ll see me get it on with somebody else big,” Porter continued. “If it isn’t Terence Crawford, it’ll be somebody else on the PBC side. But I’m not here to fight a No. 6 guy, a No. 10 guy. That’s why you haven’t seen me announce who I’m going to fight, because No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 won’t fight me.”
So who’s next? Porter ruled out Garcia as a possibility because he “fights almost once a year. He’ll probably get back in the ring in December. I don’t have time for that. June is the latest. I’m gonna force somebody to fight me by June. … By the time you see me in the ring, Showtime Shawn Porter will be mad.”
As for a potential fight with Crawford, Porter says only time will tell.
“I haven’t been able to catch up with Terence Crawford yet,” he said. “We’ve been texting. I know he’s here (at the Wilder-Fury fight) today. We’ll catch up. And you guys will find out something after that.
“But don’t ever say Shawn Porter is ducking anyone, don’t say Shawn Porter is ducking Terence Crawford, and don’t dare say Terence Crawford is ducking Shawn Porter. Until we talk, until we have a conversation that we agreed upon, we’re not going to say nothing about one another … because we owe that respect to one another.”
Shawn Porter said Tyson Fury is a better boxer than Deontay Wilder but added that Wilder will win their rematch by a knockout.
Shawn Porter, welterweight contender and television analyst, said that Tyson Fury has better boxing skills than Deontay Wilder. He added that it won’t matter.
Porter, breaking down the Wilder-Fury rematch on Feb. 22 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, acknowledged Wilder’s limitations on the technical side of the sport but believes his punching power will decide the fight.
“That’s what he does, he knocks guys out,” Porter said of Wilder. “You can’t count out his punching power. And I know when Deontay Wilder wins this fight, it will be because of a knockout.”
Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) has failed to knock out only two of his opponents, his first fights with Bermane Stiverne and Fury.
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Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) survived two knockdowns to reach the final bell in December 2018. He belives he should’ve been awarded the victory but had to settle for a draw, which set up the rematch.
The Englishman has predicted that he will stop Wilder in two rounds.
Terence Crawford’s trainer Brian McIntyre says the welterweight titleholder will likely fight twice this year.
New year, same old question: Who will Terence Crawford fight?
The welterweight titleholder is counted as one of the sport’s finest talents, but his career prospects have noticeably dimmed in recent years because of his inability to land meaningful fights. Blame the sport’s wretched partisan divisions. All of the other titleholders – namely, Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr. – and most of the top contenders reside under the Premier Boxing Champions banner led by Al Haymon, who doesn’t do much business with Top Rank’s Bob Arum, Crawford’s promoter
Crawford overcome a shaky start to stop little known contender Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the ninth-round at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14 in New York City. The Nebraskan was in vintage form, but at 32, one figures he needs bigger names and bigger fights to remain a compelling attraction.
It’s not all doom and gloom in the Crawford camp, however. Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s chief trainer and manager, is confident that things will work out. He told Boxing Junkie that he recently sat down with Top Rank head Bob Arum “to talk about options” for Crawford’s next fight.
A few potential scenarios were broached: A pay-per-view fight distributed either on the ESPN+ app or through the ESPN linear channel, to take place in either Crawford’s hometown or in Las Vegas. McIntyre stayed mum on the potential opponent, but offered a general time table for his charge’s return to the ring.
“Late May, early June,” he said.
Of course, one of the biggest matches that boxing fans have been clamoring for is between Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., who defeated Shawn Porter last September to unify two welterweight belts. McIntyre insisted that they are still targeting Spence, who survived a horrific car crash in October. (Spence announced at a public appearance in December that he would return in the summer.)
“A stay busy fight [and then], at the end of the year, a potential fight with Spence,” McIntyre said.
In the meantime, there have been rumors swirling that contender Josesito Lopez is the running for Crawford’s next fight. McIntyre shut that down, saying, “Who the hell wants to fight him?”
Pressed on why a potential fight with Shawn Porter fell through, McIntyre offered no comment.
