Mikey Garcia vs. Danny Garcia in the works for Aug.31 on FOX PPV

By Dan Ambrose

Boxingnews24.com

Mikey Garcia and Danny Garcia have a fight in the works for August 31 on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, according to Mike Coppinger. This is a compelling fight between two powerful former world champions. It could be an evenly matched contest despite the size advantage for Danny.

The 5’6″ Mikey, 31, showed in his last fight against IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. that he lacks the size and power to fight at a high level in the 147-pound division. If Spence hadn’t been so dialed into impressing his critics by showing off his boxing skills, he likely would have knocked Garcia out in the first four or five rounds. It looked effortless for Spence when he turned it up a notch in the ninth and tenth rounds, and had Mikey hurt.

For some boxing fans, it’s hard to fathom paying to see the recently beaten Mikey Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs) take on Danny “Swift” Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs) on PPV. Those are the hardcore fans. The average fan will likely jump at the chance to see Mikey and Danny fight it out.

Mikey Garcia vs. Danny Garcia will sell on PPV

This would be a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry between Mikey and Danny Garcia, and it’ll attract a lot of interest in the U.S. There will be a lot of boxing fans that’ll get caught up in the hype for this fight, and it could wind up selling even better than Mikey’s recent match against IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. on March 16 on Fox Sports PPV. That fight is said to have brought in 400,000 pay-per-view buys.

Danny has lost two out of his last four fights in losses to Shawn Porter and Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman. Danny’s two wins were against Brandon Rios and Adrian Granados. Those guys are not even close to being elite level fighters.

“Mikey Garcia and Danny Garcia are in advanced talks for a welterweight fight that would take place in August at Staples Center and a deal isn’t far off,” Coppinger aid on his Twitter. “One possible date is Aug. 31, and it’s being discussed as a PBC on FOX PPV.”

Danny Garcia taking a major career risk facing Mikey

A defeat for the 31-year-old Danny against Mikey could be a career-ender for him. Mikey clearly isn’t big enough or powerful enough to hang with the talented welterweights in the division. Danny Garcia is more of a pumped up 140-pounder than a true 147-pound fighter. Danny still has a small frame, but he can longer keep the pounds off for him to fight in the light welterweight that is ideal for his body size. Danny already lost to Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter at welterweight. If Danny loses to Mikey as well at 147, he’s going to be faced with an unpleasant reality about his career options. He’s already no longer viewed a one of the elite level welterweights by boxing fans. Danny’s defeats to Thurman and Porter showed that. If Mikey beats Danny as well, then it would an exclamation point on him not having the talent to mix it with the best at 147. Mikey isn’t even one of the best welterweights. That’s why a defeat hurts Danny’s career more than it would Mikey. If Mikey loses this fight, he can always slide back down to 140 or 135, and make things happen in those weight classes. Danny can’t do that. He’s outgrown the 140-pound division, and he’s already talking about moving up to 154 after two more fights at 147.

Mikey Garcia staying at 147 for the big fights

It was thought that Mikey Garcia would move back down to lightweight after his loss to Spence last March. Mikey looked too small and too weak at 147. Even with all the bulking up Mikey did at the SNAC facility in San Carlos, California, he wasn’t stronger with the added muscle he put on. He just looked slower. But staying at welterweight opens opportunities for Mikey to get nice paydays by fighting Danny Garcia, Thurman, Porter, and Manny Pacquiao on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View. However, if Mikey doesn’t beat Danny in August, he might be done at welterweight whether he wants to admit it or not. Danny will be looking to knockout Mikey. He’s not going to try and box his way to a victory the way that Spence did against Mikey. That’s not the way that Danny is wired. He won’t care that some boxing fans are saying that he doesn’t have great skills Hes still going to go after Mikey and look to KO him the way he did Amir Khan in 2012. Sometimes being the smaller fighter doesn’t matter. Look at Saul Canelo Alvarez in his recent wins over Daniel Jacobs and Rocky Fielding. Both of those guys were bigger than him by a significant amount, and yet Canelo beat both of them with ease. Mikey needs to find some more punching power and size somewhere so that he can get the better of guys like Danny when the two of them exchange.

When Mikey eventually goes back down to 140, he’ll be stuck fighting these guys: Regis Prograis, Josh Taylor, Maurice Hooker, Kiryl Relikh, Jose Ramirez, Ivan Baranchyk, and Mario Barrios. Those are tough fights for Mikey Garcia, and they’re not big money fights like the ones available at 147 in fighting the likes of Pacquiao, Porter, Thurman and Danny Garcia. The money is at welterweight right now for Mikey, which is why he’s staying in that weight class. Mikey will have no choice but to go back down to 140, but that’ll happen after he exhausts all his payday opportunities at 147.

The fighter left out in the cold in all this is WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs), who is left fighting the likes of Kell Brook and Amir Khan, two fighters that are arguably shot. In the meantime, the Premier Boxing Champions welterweights are competing in what amounts to be a mini-tournament with Spence facing Porter, Mikey Garcia fighting Danny Garcia, and Manny Pacquiao battling Keith Thurman. Crawford is on the outside looking in, hoping that he gets a chance to fight the eventual winner of the PBC tournament when the smoke clears in a year or two. Spence has made it clear that he wants to fight Crawford, but he’s not likely going to take that fight until 2020 or 2021.