By Jake Donovan

Above all else, Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero are prepared to put on a great show in what will serve as the inaugural installment of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox. Their 12-round welterweight bout tops a Jan. 23rd bill at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, airing live in primetime on the free-to-air network.

Garcia (31-0, 18KOs) enters his second fight as a full-fledged welterweight, having moved up a year ago following a run as the World super lightweight champion. The unbeaten boxer from Philly saw an anti-climactic end to his title reign, engaging in back-to-back non-title catchweight bouts including a decision win over Lamont Peterson last April on NBC.

His first foray into welterweight came in August, scoring a 9th round stoppage of former two-division titlist Paul Malignaggi. Garcia insists the fight was the first time in years in which he felt at full strength, which he promises to bring to into each and every fight at the weight.

“I say that Danny Garcia is going to win… by TKO,” Garcia insisted, briefly slipping into 3rd person mode during a media conference call in offering a bold prediction for the primetime main event. “5th round (knockout).”

His opponent took the bold prediction in stride, refusing to offer one of his own.

“Man, I’m just coming to fight,” Guerrero (33-3-1, 18KOs) promises.

boxing

The bout will mark the first fight back for Guerrero following a much-needed seven-month break from the ring. The former two-division champ (along with interim reigns in two more weight classes) had a rough go in 2015, beginning with his brave showing in a decisive and punishing 12-round loss at the heavy hands of Keith Thurman last March in the very first main event of the PBC series, launching in primetime on NBC.

Guerrero returned to the free-to-air network for his next fight, perhaps an ill-advised quick turnaround in fighting just three months later. The lack of recovery time was noted in his sluggish 10-round win over Aron Martinez last June, taking place in front of a sparse daytime crowd at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Rested and dedicated to the cause, the Bay Area boxer offers no guarantees other than to entertain the crowd on hand and viewers at home.

“You know what, if he’s saying that he’s going to knock me out, then good; that means he’s coming to fight. I say, bring it,” Guerrero insists.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox