By Ryan Songalia
At only 20 years of age, Philadelphia native Danny "Swift" Garcia has his whole future in front of him. Boxing has consumed half of his life, and 6 fights into his professional career, he says the sport consumes all of his time.
"I'm not an average human being," Garcia says, enlightening BoxingScene.com. "I have to live an athlete's life. I'm not a part-time athlete. [I] eat right, go to sleep early and train hard."
Not many "average" human beings go 107-13 in their amateur careers, win U.S. National Amateur championship (in 2006), or an Under-19 National Championship (in 2005). Garcia accomplished all three feats.
His decorated amateur career was set to culminate with a trip to Beijing, only to be turned back by Javier Molina in the finals of the Olympic trials. Dubbed as an alternate, Garcia elected to turn pro over making the trans-Pacific journey.
"It was a close fight but I think he was the favorite because he had just beat the number one guy in US championships," explains Garcia.
Garcia spent a lot of time as a youngster watching fights with his father, Angel Garcia who himself was once an aspiring boxer. Young Danny would emulate the bobbing and weaving of Julio Cesar Chavez, his childhood favorite upon conclusion of the bouts. Through boxing, father and son forged an inseparable bond that to this day remains intact.
"I knew at the time when he was a baby that he was gifted at something," Angel Garcia says. "As he got older, I knew that it was boxing."
Before Papa Garcia identified his son's gift for boxing, he witnessed first-hand his survival instincts. Angel Garcia believes that his son was a fighter from the moment he entered this world. Birth was not without it's own set of battles, which almost led to his premature death.
"I've been a fighter since birth," Danny Garcia recalls 20 years later. "When I was born, the umbilical cord was choking my neck. My Dad told me as soon as he saw that he knew he had a fighter on his hands."
"When his mom was in the operating room, Angel says, "she was telling the doctors she was ready. The doctors told her to hold on, but she said no. She pushed against the doctor's will. Next thing you know he's halfway choking with the umbilical cord around his neck. Right there I knew that if he could survive that, he could survive anything."
Determination and grit from the outset of life.
Those two qualities sum up the reputation of the Philadelphia fighter, traits embodied by Joe Frazier, Meldrick Taylor and even the fictional Rocky Balboa. A tall order to follow, yes, but one Garcia is eager to live up to.
"I have to keep that cycle going being young and tough," Danny says. "Philly fighters show a lot of heart and determination and I have to keep that going. Philadelphia keeps me hungry, I love this city."
While Danny loves his city, he doesn't love the city life. Or at least he keeps his distance from the partying aspect of it.
"I'm not really the party type, I just like training. I consider myself a good boy because I come from a good family, I was raised well, I have a good dad who cares about me. I'm surrounded by people who care for me and I trust them. I'm focused on boxing."
With all young fighters who achieve much at an early age, the primary concern is how they handle the trappings of success: The women, mountains of free and accessible contraband, the late hours out on the town. Sometimes the greatest obstacle towards success is success itself.
"I do worry because he's a man," says Danny's father. "People think because you're a boxer that you can't have girlfriends. Danny doesn't party, he's a full-time athlete. I always tell him that there is a time and place for everything. After a fight I'll give him a week or two weeks off. We'll still be in the gyms but he can go see his girls or whatever he has to do."
Since turning professional in November of last year, only one of Garcia's bouts, his last time out against 42-bout veteran Julio Gamboa, has gone the distance. Garcia plans to continue campaigning at junior-welterweight, a division marked by the rapidly fading presence of a consensus champion.
"I would like to fight them all," Garcia asserts. "[Paulie] Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kendall Holt, Ricardo Torres. They're all good fighters but I don't think they're great. They're just waiting for someone to come take their belts, like me."
Garcia says the biggest transition from the amateurs has been, you guessed it, the increased significance of defense.
"I've been keeping my hands up, being more cautious. There's no headgear and smaller gloves. I'm more cautious and not jumping into anything.
"I'm just relaxing more. I don't have to be afraid of the amateur system and throwing a lot of punches and burning a lot of energy. I work off the jab and pick my shots a lot better."
For some fighters, working with their father can be a distraction. How many times over the last few months has Joe Tessitore had to comment on the conflicting corner advice from Joe Greene's head trainer Andre Rozier and his co-trainer and father Joe Greene Sr? Too many times for this scribe's taste. Others, like Joe and Enzo Calzaghe, have worked together harmoniously, reaping bountiful benefits as a result.
"I think it does interfere with our relationship sometimes but we try to get around it," comments Angel Garcia. "He thinks he could probably get away with a lot of things. When it's your blood you try to push him to the extremes, you're never satisfied. But I always want the best for my son. If someone has to take him there, it might as well be me."
Danny's level of dedication attracted many leading influences in the sport to invest in his future. Garcia is signed to Golden Boy Promotions and star manager Shelly Finkel, which has enabled him to start on many big fight cards, including De La Hoya-Forbes, Hopkins-Calzaghe and Pacquiao-Marquez II.
Garcia's next assignment, against a still-unknown opponent, is scheduled for this Saturday night in Las Vegas' MGM Grand on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez's first step up to lightweight against Joel Casamayor. Unfortunately for Danny, this fight, like all 6 of his previous pro bouts, will not be televised.
"I really want the people to see who I am. I'm just sitting patient because once the world sees me they'll like how I fight."
Despite Garcia's lack of exposure, he is thriving in the big fight atmosphere, patiently awaiting the day he gets the call for The Big One. For now, the world anticipates the upcoming Marquez-Casamayor clash. Perhaps someday, it will be Garcia's name on the marquee instead of in the fine print.
"It's really fun being around all of those big fighters. I know that if I keep working hard, I can be like them or even better. It motivates me because one day instead of being on the undercard, I'll be the main event."
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