By Bill "Two Scoops" Emes
WBC/WBA junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia (26-0, 16KOs) will meet the toughest opponent of his career on September 14th, as he defends his titles against mandatory challenger Lucas Matthysse (34-2, 32KOs) on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Saul Alvarez undercard on September 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, a Philadelphian like Garcia, discussed the match with Matthysse. Hopkins is giving Garcia a very good shot to win.
"I think Danny Garcia understands the reality of being unprepared mentally and physically for a guy named Matthysse. [Trainer/father] Angel [Garcia] is no dummy. Angel understands that for his son to win this fight - he needs to be perfect. He has to pitch a no-hitter. You prepare for a guy's style. You know he's a puncher - you don't be there [when he throws those punches]. I'm not saying run - but you don't be there. And you look at the fights that he's lost, and even though I think he won one of those fights - there are things in those fights that you could still use," Hopkins told BoxingScene.com.
"Did Matthysse get better since those fights? Did he learn from those fights? He learned don't let it go to the scorecards. Danny Garcia is a tough son of a gun and he's willing to bang to hold his ground. This fight will no doubt have knockdowns on both sides. Whoever gets knocked down more will not win the fight."