Garcia: “I’m Going Right Back to a Southpaw”

Garcia Still Wants Pacquiao or Spence Jr

Ahead of his January 25 showdown with Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach (23-5-1, 18 KO’s), Danny “Swift” Garcia (36-2, 21 KO’s) was very open about his desire to face a welterweight champion.

Yet, more specific than simply wanting to get any champion, Garcia specifically targeted WBA super world welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO’s) and WBC and IBF world welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr (26-0, 21 KO’s).

Both men are southpaws and this is the central reason why he selected lefty Redkach for his latest dance date. Most in the boxing world, including Garcia, foresaw Swift being able to stop Redkach before the end of regulation. Once in the ring however, this more thrilling outcome did not come to fruition.

As is often the case in the sport of boxing, Garcia found himself presented with some unforeseen difficulties. Hampered with an injured foot, subpar energy levels and a hungry, biting opponent, Swift ultimately went the distance.

HARD WORK GOOD FOR PREPARATION

Even though the Philly native did not secure a knockout, he still felt as though he enjoyed a beneficial night in the office. As previously said, the main motivating rationale for choosing Redkach was to get firsthand experience with the tricky southpaw stance. So, having gone the full 36-minutes, Garcia is of the mind state that he is now in a more fit state to face southpaws Pacquiao and Spence Jr.

“Yeah, I think that is what is the blessing about it. Like I said before, you barely face southpaws in this game, you barely spar them. So for me to do 12 rounds and my next fight should be a southpaw, I think that’s great for me because my eyes are going to be even sharper the second time.

And coming from not fighting in 9 months and then fighting a southpaw, my eyes are going to be sharp in the next one. So I’m going right back to a southpaw, IF those fights happen.”

DIFFERENT DEGREES OF SOUTHPAWS

While Garcia does believe that Redkach was a suitable appetizer, he wholly admits that if he were to step in the ring with Pacquiao that the Pac Man would be a completely different animal. Yet, that probably goes without saying!

“Well Manny…has a certain type of style that is hard to train for, so you just have to go in there and make adjustments. But definitely when you fighting a southpaw it definitely gives you that look like you have to slip punches different ways and pivot different ways and punches come from different angles, so it definitely gives you the right look to fight another southpaw.”

It will be interesting to see if Spence or Pacquiao choose to fight Garcia following this less than stellar performance against Ivan Redkach.

By: Bakari Simpson