By Edward Chaykovsky
Veteran trainer Robert Garcia is really looking forward to the welterweight unification showdown between WBA world champion Keith Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) and WBC champion Danny Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs).
The highly anticipated unification takes place on March 4th from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. CBS, in association with Showtime, will televise the contest.
Thurman is seen as the early favorite, due to his size, power and strength. Garcia, who was a unified champion at 140, moved up to the welterweight division in 2015 with a stoppage victory over Paulie Malignaggi, and then captured the vacant WBC belt in early 2016 with a decision over Robert Guerrero.
Garcia has come up big in several fights where he was viewed as a big underdog. Most expected him to get put away by Amir Khan in 2012, but Garcia stopped the Bolton boxer in four rounds to make a big statement. Then everyone thought he would get pounded by Lucas Matthysse in 2013, and once again Garcia defied the odds by dropping the Argentine puncher and winning twelve round unanimous decision.
Garcia has also faced a much better variety of competition when comparing their records. Thurman, although winning by TKO at the end, was vulnerable in his last fight with former champion Luis Collazo. The veteran from New York had Thurman seriously hurt with a strong hook to the body. Thurman was able to weather the storm.
Robert Garcia is officially picking Thurman to win a tough fight. But because of Garcia's ability to rise to the occasion, the well known coach would not be shocked if Garcia walked away with the victory.
"Thurman vs. Garcia is a very even fight. Garcia always has a way to win, he always finds a way to win and a lot of people count him out but he finds a way to win. I pick Thurman but it won’t be easy, and I won’t be surprised if Garcia pulls it out, but my pick is Thurman," Robert Garcia told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.
