Garcia Feels His Resume Stronger Than Thurman's, Has Proven More

By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Keith Thurman has questioned Danny Garcia’s credentials as a welterweight champion.

Thurman, basically a career-long welterweight, views Garcia as a proven 140-pound fighter, but an unproven commodity among 147-pounders. Garcia still believes he is more prepared for their welterweight title unification fight March 4 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn because he has beaten better opponents than Thurman.

“I’m a true champion, at the end of the day,” Garcia said following a press conference Wednesday to officially announce their fight. “I’ve faced fighters who hit hard. I’ve faced fighters who were fast. I faced fighters who were crafty. I’ve faced fighters in their own backyard, as a champion. So all the things I’ve been through in my career are leading me to this fight, seasoning me for this fight.”

Philadelphia’s Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs) has beaten 10 ex-world champions during his nine-year pro career. That group of former title-holders includes, in chronological order, Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Erik Morales (twice), Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Mauricio Herrera, Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi and Robert Guerrero.

The 28-year-old Garcia pointed to his level of opposition, and how he won world titles, as advantages over Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs), of Clearwater, Florida.

“When I won my first two world titles, I was a late replacement,” Garcia said. “Erik Morales was supposed to fight Lucas Matthysse, and then they brought Danny Garcia in with five, six weeks notice. I won the world title against the legend. And then I fought Amir Khan. He was supposed to fight Lamont Peterson, and Lamont Peterson tested positive for steroids. Then I came in, five or six weeks notice.

“So both of my world title fights, I didn’t pick them. They picked me, late notice, so I was the ‘B’ side. You feel me? And he’s never been in that position, where he had to come in late notice or defying the odds. His career was built up quick. Like they said, we turned pro at the same time. How come I was a champion [before] him, three or four years before he became world champion?”

Thurman, also 28, technically became a champion when he knocked out Diego Chaves in the 10th round to win the interim WBA welterweight championship in July 2013. He has beaten seven opponents who’ve held world titles, including Carlos Quintana, Jan Zaveck, Chaves, Julio Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Luis Collazo and Shawn Porter.

“He’s a good fighter,” Garcia said of Thurman. “But Peterson, he’s a tested veteran with a lot of skills. And Lamont Peterson faced everybody. Amir Khan has faced everybody. You know, Erik Morales has faced everybody. Everyone I’ve fought has faced everybody. I’ve been in there with fighters with a lot of experience. He’s never faced everybody. And that class is gonna show.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.