Two-division world champion Danny Garcia and former world champion Brandon Rios went face-to-face for the first time Tuesday at a press conference in Los Angeles to announce their main event showdown taking place Saturday, Feb. 17 live on SHOWTIME from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Garcia(33-0, 19 KOs), who is coming off his first loss to Keith Thurman last March, is ready to get back to his winning ways against Rios:
“This is a classic fight of a boxer-puncher versus a brawler,” Garcia said today. “I’m going to be prepared for everything and start 2018 off right. I have to be the fighter I’ve always been. “I’m healthy and strong and ready to fight. I’m putting the loss to Keith Thurman behind me and moving forward. I have to focus on being Danny Garcia on February 17. I can’t press and try to do too much; I just have to get the win.”
Garcia discussed his last fight with Keith Thurman. Even in a lost, Garcia was happy with his performance against Thurman:
“I felt like I fought a good fight against Thurman. He didn’t really engage. I thought after the fourth round he was basically shadow boxing. I don’t blame him because you have to be dumb to stand in front of me. We’ll make some adjustments and add to what I already do well,” Garcia said.
This is a fight Garcia should win, but Rios might make it exciting for as long as it lasts. As we know, Rios is never in a boring fight.