by Cliff Rold
It might not be the best match that could be made at 140 lbs.
It’s not even happening at 140 lbs.
Of the available battles in the Al Haymon stable near the division that Danny Garcia hasn’t tackled yet, Lamont Peterson looks as good as it gets. This is a 143 lb. catchweight fight between reigning Jr. Welterweight titleholders instead of what could have been a unification bout.
That’s a minus.
It’s also a match of two guys who typically make good fights with reasons to believe both can win.
That’s a plus.
So far, it’s the best main event the PBC has offered in their new endeavor.
Let’s go the report card.
The Ledgers
Danny Garcia
Age: 27
Title: WBC Super Lightweight (2012-Present, 5 Defenses); WBA “Super” Super Lightweight (2012-Present, 4 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB/Ring Jr. Welterweight (2013-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’8 ½
Weight: 142.2 lbs.
Hails from: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Record: 29-0, 17 KO
Record in Major Title Fights: 6-0, 2 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: 5 (Nate Campbell UD10; Kendall Holt SD12; Erik Morales UD12, KO4; Amir Khan TKO4; Zab Judah UD12;)
Vs.
Lamont Peterson
Age: 31
Title: IBF Light Welterweight (2011-Present, 3 Defenses)
Previous Titles: WBA “Super” Light Welterweight (2011-12)
Height: 5’9
Weight: 143 lbs.
Hails from: Washington, DC
Record: 33-2-1, 17 KO, 1 KOBY
Rankings: #2 (TBRB, Ring), #3 (ESPN), #4 (BoxingScene, BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 4-1, 2 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: 5 (Timothy Bradley L12; Victor Ortiz D10; Amir Khan SD12; Kendall Holt TKO8)
Grades
Pre-Fight: Speed – Garcia B+; Peterson B
Pre-Fight: Power – Garcia B+; Peterson B
Pre-Fight: Defense – Garcia B+; Peterson B-
Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Garcia A; Peterson B
Garcia is one of those fighters who can look ordinary at first. He’s ultimately the sum of his parts more than any one characteristic. His left hook is the moneymaker but his ability to box, time, and maneuver the ring show off a solid ring IQ. It hasn’t all been perfect. He was fortunate to get by Mauricio Herrera last year.
If he wants to keep the dream of a mega-money showdown at Welterweight (and with two straight fights above 140, it’s almost time assume that’s where he is from now on), he can’t have a hiccup here.
Peterson is fighting to hold on to what real estate he has. A knockout loss to Lucas Matthysse in a non-title fight in 2013 took credibility away from an already blemished title win over Amir Khan. The Khan fight was marred by questionable officiating and a failed PED test. If he loses this fight, the IBF has announced he’ll be stripped of their belt.
In terms of defense, Garcia tends to take less punishment and should be the quicker man. Peterson can negate that if he gets inside. A relentless pressure fighter, he gains momentum as fights wear on and is an effective body puncher. If he can get close to Garcia, he can make it a war.
Both men can be a little wide on their shots and if it goes late in a hard fight, Peterson may have real chances. It depends on which Garcia shows up. Garcia let Zab Judah in to the fight down the stretch. He closed the show with a late knockdown of Matthysse in their big 2013 showdown.
While Garcia has scored the more impressive stoppages, neither man is a wall breaker. If Peterson avoids being caught early, this could be a long, hard night.
The Pick
Both Peterson and Garcia can be slow starters. Of the two, Peterson is the more vulnerable early. Sluggish starts against Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan, and Kendall Holt all come to mind. Lucas Matthysse blew him out. Garcia, while a good left hook puncher, isn’t the destroyer Matthysse can be. If Garcia doesn’t assert himself and punish Peterson early, he could find himself in a war. That can be true even if he gets the ideal start. Peterson is just one of those guys who gains steam. What Peterson is not is enough of a puncher to hurt Garcia and take over the fight. Garcia should win a fan friendly decision, doing enough to edge several close rounds.
Report Card and Staff Picks 2015: 19-3 (Including staff picks for Beterbiev-Campillo, Cuadras-Concepcion, Lebedev-Kalenga, and Ramirez-Afolabi)
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
