Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Garcia/Herrera, Canelo’s PPV numbers, Mayweather, Wilder, and more!!!

03/18/201403/17/2014 Vivek Wallace

C. Jasper (Columbia, SC): I know you were pretty high on Danny Garcia after he soundly defeated Lucas Matthyssee. After seeing him struggle against a nobody, what do you think now?

Vivek W. (ESB): I’ll start by saying that I totally beg to differ, as it relates to your opinion of Mauricio Herrera being a “nobody”. Covering the sport over the years, I’ve always liked the art of keeping a thumb on those men and women who are under the radar, but above the rim, so to speak. Coming into this bout, I definitely viewed Herrera as someone who was not to be taken lightly. On the morning of all major fights, I post a Facebook “Scouting Report” which lays out my thoughts in general terms. I’m not always as deadly accurate as I’d like, but in hindsight, the words posted were almost ominous, as they spoke very clearly about what would later happen. To revisit the caption, here is a direct quote:

continue

Juanma TKOs Ponce De Leon; Wilder kayos Scott; Garcia beats Herrera

03/16/201403/16/2014 Paul Strauss

The first of several Showtime bouts was short, but exciting. Approximately six years ago Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez destroyed Daniel Ponce De Leon in one round. The win propelled Juanma to the top of his division. Ponce De Leon had to fight hard to regain his position at the top level of the division. Saturday the two met again.

This time both had grown into junior lightweights, and neither was young or up and coming phenoms. Rather, both men were fighting to extend their careers be serious title contenders. The question was who had the most left?

The first round was very cautious, so much so smatterings of boos could be heard from the Puerto Rican Crowd. The round was a difficult one to score. Ponce de Leon pressed the action in the second, trying hard to protect himself from southpaw JuanMa’s powerful right hook, the punch that was responsible for his kayo loss in their first bout. It seemed like he had learned how to get under it, or block it.

continue

Danny Garcia defeats Mauricio Herrera; Deontay Wilder dazzles with first-round knockout over Malik Scott

03/16/201403/16/2014 Showtime Boxing

(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (March 16, 2014) – Unified Super Lightweight World Champion

Danny “Swift” Garcia (28-0, 16 KOs) defeated Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (20-4, 7 KOs) via a majority decision to remain undefeated on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®.

Garcia established himself in the first round, landing the bigger punches against Herrera. But it was quickly clear that the challenger wasn’t going to let Garcia off easy, peppering the champion with strong shots to his body and head.By the end of round four, Garcia’s corner, specifically his father and trainer, Angel Garcia, could be heard telling the champion urgently to step-up his game and take control. Herrera, of Riverside, Calif., pressed on and proved himself as a worthy opponent with both fighters exchanging vicious shots throughout the extremely close match.

continue

Garcia vs. Herrera: Can Mauricio spoil the Garcia Klan’s homecoming?

03/14/201403/13/2014 Chris Carlson

This Saturday night from Bayamon, Puerto Rico Danny Garcia faces Mauricio Herrera on Showtime in what will be a homecoming of sorts for the Garcia Klan.

The fighting pride of Puerto Rican roots runs deep in the sport of boxing. The once proud and best pound for pound island for producing champions has recently hit a rough patch of fighters to support at the world level.

Miguel Cotto will no doubt fill the Mecca of boxing to the rafters when he takes on lineal middleweight title holder Sergio Martinez the eve of the Puerto Rican parade at the Garden.

The promising prospect Felix Verdejo is knocking on the door of stardom and soon enough will kick that door down in an attempt to fill the void left by Juanma Lopez’s once promising career.

continue

Danny Garcia eyes future Mayweather showdown if he beats Herrera this Saturday

03/13/201403/12/2014 BoxNation

Unified light-welterweight world champion Danny Garcia is unfazed at being overlooked as Floyd Mayweather’s next opponent.

The undefeated 25-year-old knows that victory this Saturday night against Mauricio Herrera, live and exclusive on BoxNation, will herald further calls for him to be the next man to face pound-for-pound king Mayweather.

Having blitzed his way past a host of top names in the 140-pound division, Garcia has emerged as one of boxing’s leading lights and returns to action in Puerto Rico this weekend following his momentous victory over Lucas Matthysse last September.

continue

Danny Garcia and Mauricio Herrera media conference call transcript

03/10/201403/10/2014 Golden Boy Promotions

Kelly Swanson

Thanks, everybody for joining us today for the Danny Garcia and Mauricio Herrera international media conference call. We are going to start first with Mauricio, as well as his trainer, Willie Silva, and then Danny Garcia will be joining us. I would now like to introduce Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions who will talk about the fight and make the formal introductions.

continue

Danny Garcia & father/trainer Angel Garcia media workout quotes

02/27/201402/26/2014 Golden Boy Promotions

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) Philadelphia, PA (Feb. 26, 2014) – Undefeated Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny Garcia (27-0, 16 KOs), of Philadelphia, and his father/trainer, Angel Garcia, hosted an open media workout on Wednesday at the DSG Boxing Gym in Philadelphia. Garcia is winding down preparations for his long-awaited debut to his native homeland and his world title defense against Maurcio Herrera (20-3, 7 KOs), of Riverside, Calif., on Saturday, March 15, in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the SHOWTIME co-feature from Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, unbeaten knockout artist and American heavyweight hopeful, Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (30-0, 30 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., faces veteran Malik Scott (36-1-1, 13 KOs) of Philadelphia.

continue

BoxNation add superstar showdowns in Canelo-Angulo & Garcia-Herrera to packed roster

02/13/201402/12/2014 BoxNation

LONDON (Feb. 12) –Canelo Alvarez will be looking to bounce back in the best way possible when he faces Alfredo Angulo for the pride and glory of Mexico on Saturday, March 8.

BoxNation has added the star-studded Golden Boy Promotions bill to its packed roster, which also includes three world title showdowns featuring Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz taking on Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares for the WBC Super Bantamweight title, newly installed WBC lightweight champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa facing the tricky Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez and Carlos “King” Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight title against undefeated fast-rising star Jermall Charlo.

The spotlight will be on light-middleweight star Canelo, however, who makes his first return to the ring since his loss to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather last September.

continue

Quotes from today’s Danny “Swift” Garcia and Mauricio Herrera Puerto Rico press conference

02/04/2014 Golden Boy Promotions

(Photo credit: Ester Lin/Showtime) DANNY “SWIFT” GARCIA, Unified Super Lightweight World Champion

“I am a Puerto Rican. I could have been born on the moon, but I’m still Puerto Rican.

[On fighting in Puerto Rico] “It means a lot to me. Everybody in the stands is going to be Puerto Rican. I’ve never had that before.

“Even though I’m from Philly, that’s not my heritage. It’s important for me to reach out to my fans because I think Puerto Rican boxing needs this right now.

continue

WBA/WBC 140 lb. champion Danny Garcia arrive tomorrow to Puerto Rico

02/02/2014 PR Best Boxing Promotions

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight champion, Danny “Swift” Garcia will arrive in Puerto Rico tomorrow to participate in the first press conference for his next title defense against Mexican Mauricio Herrera on Saturday, March 15, at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, in a Golden Boy Promotions and Swift Promotions presentation, in association with PR Best Boxing Promotions Promotions (PRBBP), which will air on Showtime.

continue