Danny Garcia will be defending his junior welterweight titles against veteran Mauricio Herrera on March 15 in Puerto Rico. Garcia and Herrera, along with Juan Manuel Lopez and Daniel Ponce de Leon, met the media for an opening press conference this week.
Take a look at the photos and quotes right here.
DANNY “SWIFT” GARCIA
“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.
“I think that Puerto Rico is going to accept me as its own after I win on March 15. Philadelphia might be my birthplace, but Puerto Rico is my blood. ”
MAURICIO HERRERA
“I know this is a huge opportunity, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.
“To have a shot at Danny’s belts has been a dream of mine for a long time.
“Danny Garcia is an intelligent and tough fighter, but so am I.
“I’m coming to Puerto Rico and I know there is a lot of pressure, but hopefully they will support me too.”
JUAN MANUEL “JUANMA” LOPEZ
“I’m excited about this great opportunity. I have the people of Puerto Rico confident in me and their support means everything to me.
“I’m prepared for this fight and I know that it’s going to be a tough one. I’m going to give it my all.”
DANIEL PONCE DE LEON
“I’m happy to be here in Puerto Rico. I’ve been training hard and I’m ready for this rematch.
“It’s been five years [since our last fight] and I know that JuanMa is going to come in strong. He’s a great fighter, but I’m coming in fully prepared for this fight.”
ANGEL GARCIA
“March 15 is going to be like no other. Herrera has never fought a Puerto Rican and my son Danny is 100 percent Puerto Rican.
“My wife and I are both Puerto Rican, and like it or not, Danny is Boricua. It’s always been a dream of his to fight in Puerto Rico, so we’re happy to see that coming to pass.”
ARMANDO GAYTAN
“Puerto Rico has long been one of the hotbeds for boxing, with great fighters like Felix Trinidad, Wilfred Benitez, Miguel Cotto and Wilfredo Gomez all hailing from the island. So when we found out we were bringing this event to Bayamon, we knew we had to make it something special, and we’ve got a spectacular lineup of fights for the fans on March 15.
“Danny Garcia is one of the top stars in boxing today, and as a young man of Puerto Rican descent, his fight against Mauricio Herrera is not just another title defense, but a night he said he knows he will never forget.”
GILLERMO SILVA
“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. It’s going to be a good and hard fight, but Mauricio will be prepared. The preparation and work he has put in will show on fight night. ”
HIRAM PADILLA
“Puerto Rico is glad to have such a big showcase. The Mayor wants to thank Danny for bringing a world-class fight to Bayamon.
“We know that Danny’s mom is from Bayamon, where the fight is going to take place, and we are proud he’ll be representing us on March 15.”
PETER RIVERA, Vice-President of Puerto Rico Best Boxing
“In all of these years as boxing promoters, we never saw an enthusiasm like today by the fans for this event. I’m sure that the Puerto Rican fans will support Danny Garcia as the new Puerto Rican boxing star.”
