After openly struggling with making the 147-pound weight limit, Danny Garcia sought greener pastures. Ultimately, the Philadelphia native would do just that, as he opted to move on from the welterweight division and embark on a new journey as a full-fledged junior middleweight.
In his first fight at 154-pounds, Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) squared off against journeymen, Jose Benavidez Jr. Although the 34-year-old was forced to construct a unique game plan to nullify the height and weight advantage of his man, he ultimately adjusted to life against bigger men just fine, registering a lopsided unanimous decision win.
While Garcia has reigned supreme as a two-division world titlist in years past, his recent performances have left much to be desired. However, after watching him return to his dominant ways, Sebastian Fundora admits that the former champion was incredibly impressive.
“It was a good fight, good fight,” said Fundora of Garcia’s victory over Benavidez to BoxingScene.com. “I feel like he’s turning back into the Danny Garcia that we know and love. That weight jump was probably what he needed to feel more comfortable with his body again.”
Following his latest win, Garcia reeled off a number of names that he would be interested in facing next, including Keith Thurman, Erislandy Lara, and Jermell Charlo. But while Fundora’s name was noticeably left out of the equation, the gargantuan contender would enjoy swapping fists with Garcia.
Recently, after stopping Erickson Lubin in his tracks earlier this year, Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) registered a one-sided victory against Carlos Ocampo this past weekend. Currently, with his record unblemished, the 6’6” behemoth remains the number one contender in the WBC sanctioning body.
Still, even with a shot at a world title just within reach, Fundora’s eyes remain fixated on Garcia.
“I’d love to get a fight with him. Just like anybody else. He’s a big name, a former champion. He’s already introduced into the weight class but let’s try to introduce him again, why not you know. I think it would be a great fight.”