Junior welterweight prospect Danny Garcia is getting ready to step back into the ring once again. His next fight, scheduled for June 12, will be shown on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. He’ll be appearing on the undercard of a show headlined by former featherweight champion Robert Guerrero.
Your next fight is right around the corner on June 12, and you’ll be appearing on ESPN2 for Friday Night Fights. How has your preparation been going?
DG: It’s been going real good, I’m sparring 8 rounds, 10 rounds. I feel good, everything’s going good. Now it’s just time to get mentally focused for the fight.
You’re fighting Pavel Miranda, he has a decent record at 16-3 and he’s a young guy but he’s lost 2 of his last 3 fights, both to undefeated prospects. What do you know about Miranda?
DG: What I know is what you just told me! (Laughs) He’s lost two of his last three, he’s 16-3, from what I’m told he held a Youth WBC title before. I know he’s 5’11” and he’s from Mexico and I know he’ll be coming hard.
Are you expecting a tough fight from him or what do you think the fight will be like?
DG: We’ll see what he brings to the table for the first couple of rounds. It depends what he brings to the table. I’m expecting a tough fight and hopefully I can make it easy and knock him out, or if it goes all 8 I’m in great shape. Whatever comes to the table I’ll be ready.
In those 2 losses, he got stopped both times, does that add any pressure for you to get him out of there and finish the fight or are you just looking to take whatever comes your way?
DG: I’m in great shape right now…I’m just going to take whatever comes. I’m not going to go in there looking for the knockout, I’ll let it come natural. I’m just going to go behind the jab and whatever he brings I’ll adjust to it.
Have you been sparring with anybody in particular for this fight, any tall, lengthy guys to get you ready?
DG: Yea! I’ve been sparring Gabriel Rosado, he fought a few times on ESPN. He fights at 154, he’s 5’11”. He’s the tallest guy, and he’s mostly the only guy I’ve been sparring with. But I’ve been sparring with Luis Ramos today, he’s a top prospect too, he’s like 10-0.
You’ve been a lot of big fight undercards, and this fight will give you another opportunity to get seen by the boxing public at large… live TV, cable TV…. Are you anxious to get out there and perform, what’s your state of mind right now?
DG: Man, I’m blessed… growing up as a kid and watching my favorite fighters fight on TV, HBO, ESPN… watching De La Hoya come up… so you know it’s a blessing, I can’t believe it sometimes that I’m fighting on TV! But I’m trying to be focused and I’m trying to shine on Friday Night Fights.
This will be your third fight of 2009, how many more would you like to squeeze out before the year is over?
DG: At least, well this will be my 13th fight, at least 3 more, maybe 4… that would be perfect. But I’m looking at this fight right now and not looking ahead and I’ve got to get this guy out of the way.
Junior welterweight is hot right now, who do you think is the top guy right now?
DG: Pacquiao… I called it (the Hatton fight), because he runs in and I thought he was going to get hit with a straight left hand, but he got caught with those hooks. I thought he was going to stop him but I didn’t think it would be early.
OK, well, besides Pacquiao who would you say is leading the way in your division right way?
DG: There’s a couple of good fighters and prospects out there…you know, I like Timothy Bradley, he’s a crafty fighter. But I don’t look at him like I look at like a Pacquiao, that’s a different level. He’s a superstar, he’s a champion. So right now, with Pacquiao, there’s nobody to compare right now.
Well Danny I appreciate the time, is there anything else you’d like to say?
DG: On June 12, I want everybody watching ESPN, 9 o’clock, Eastern time. You’re going to see a young, hungry fighter from Philadelphia with the image and the heart of a champion and hopefully I’ll be bringing everybody up out of their seats.
