By Gilbert Manzano
Adrian Granados has plenty of respect for Danny Garcia’s knockout power.
Granados, who’s known as a brawler, doesn’t plan on trading with Garcia when the two meet April 20 for a welterweight bout that will headline a Premier Boxing Champions on Fox card from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
“There are a lot of fights where (Garcia is) losing the whole fight, and he just has that one-punch power that will change it all,” Granados said at his recent media workout in Los Angeles. “So I’m definitely going to respect that.”
Instead of mixing it up with the former WBC welterweight champion, Granados wants to test Garcia mentally. When Garcia lost to Shawn Porter in September, many criticized him for not adjusting to Porter’s smothering tactics.
Granados (20-6-2, 14 knockout) wants to frustrate Garcia (34-2, 20 KOs) in a similar way.
“I think I got more dog than (Garcia) does,” Granados said. “I’ve watched enough fights now and I see he complains a lot and kind of gets away with a lot, and he does what he gotta do to win, but I never had anything handed to me.
“I do feel like I need a stoppage or a dominating win, like I need a one-sided fight because I already know I got the record where I’ve gotten a lot of controversial losses. If it’s close, I definitely know I won’t get the nod.”
Granados’ slug-it-out approach didn’t lead to victories against Adrien Broner and Porter, but it earned him a reputation for being an exciting fighter. But at age 29, and still in search of his first world title, Granados is no longer looking to please the boxing public.
“I’m tired of just being somebody who puts on good shows,” Granados said. “I need a big win.”
