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by David P. Greisman - It takes plenty of hard work to get on top. It takes even more hard work to stay there.
Danny Garcia reached his pinnacle a year and a half ago. On the chief supporting undercard bout of the second-biggest pay-per-view ever to air in the United States, Garcia went from being just one of multiple junior-welterweight titleholders to being seen as the true champion at 140 pounds.
He did this with a close-fought majority decision win over Lucas Matthysse, the only other person qualified to vie for the same throne. Garcia used a smart game plan and wise tactics, survived difficult moments and earned the victory. It should’ve been a launching point for his career. Instead, so much since has been disappointing.
That may seem a strange conclusion given that Garcia is still undefeated, still the junior-welterweight champion and the winner of three more fights since the night he triumphed over Matthysse. The latest was a majority decision over Lamont Peterson this past Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the announced crowd of 12,300 included a mix of Philadelphia-area fans rooting for Garcia, Washington, D.C.-area fans cheering for Peterson, and New York-area boxing fans who had seen Garcia headline in that arena three times before.
But it’s the way those three wins have unfolded that draws ire. And those flames are further fueled by the expectations that come with being champion.
Garcia’s first fight after Matthysse was an event in Puerto Rico that was billed as a homecoming for a boxer whose family is from the island. His opponent was Mauricio Herrera, a good opponent with an awkward style but not someone who was expected to win. No matter how the promoter or network attempted to portray things, the money and marketing muscle were behind Garcia. Herrera was supposed to play a supporting role as the foil in Garcia’s tale, a willing foe who would fall short. [Click Here To Read More]
Danny Garcia reached his pinnacle a year and a half ago. On the chief supporting undercard bout of the second-biggest pay-per-view ever to air in the United States, Garcia went from being just one of multiple junior-welterweight titleholders to being seen as the true champion at 140 pounds.
He did this with a close-fought majority decision win over Lucas Matthysse, the only other person qualified to vie for the same throne. Garcia used a smart game plan and wise tactics, survived difficult moments and earned the victory. It should’ve been a launching point for his career. Instead, so much since has been disappointing.
That may seem a strange conclusion given that Garcia is still undefeated, still the junior-welterweight champion and the winner of three more fights since the night he triumphed over Matthysse. The latest was a majority decision over Lamont Peterson this past Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the announced crowd of 12,300 included a mix of Philadelphia-area fans rooting for Garcia, Washington, D.C.-area fans cheering for Peterson, and New York-area boxing fans who had seen Garcia headline in that arena three times before.
But it’s the way those three wins have unfolded that draws ire. And those flames are further fueled by the expectations that come with being champion.
Garcia’s first fight after Matthysse was an event in Puerto Rico that was billed as a homecoming for a boxer whose family is from the island. His opponent was Mauricio Herrera, a good opponent with an awkward style but not someone who was expected to win. No matter how the promoter or network attempted to portray things, the money and marketing muscle were behind Garcia. Herrera was supposed to play a supporting role as the foil in Garcia’s tale, a willing foe who would fall short. [Click Here To Read More]
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