Danny Garcia Talks Puerto Rico Plans, Herrera's Chances, Mayweather Fight

Danny Garcia and Mauricio Herrera took part on a Wednesday conference call to hype the March 15 Golden Boy card which will unfold in Puerto Rico, where both of Garcia's parents were born. There wasn't much in the way of fireworks on the call, as calm and collected Garcia showed as per usual he likes to save his fire for the ring, and his dad, the ombustible Angel Garcia, was MIA.

Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer did a suitable Angel Garcia when at the tail-end of the call he slammed the Ring magazine pound for pound list for not having Garcia in the pound for pound mix. He used an expletive in describing that P4P list, somewhat surprising, since Golden Boy owns Ring, trying to empahize a point he brought up a few times, that he believes Garcia is the No. 3 fighter in the world.

Herrera did a half hour with the press, and after that, Garcia hopped on the call.

Schaefer noted Garcia is at the top of the heap as far as taking on the best in boxing, and that he mostly went into those bouts as the underog. That changed with his last bout, a win over masher Lucas Matthysse. Schaefer said he thinks Garcia is No. 3, behind Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward, on the pound for pound list.

He defused Amir Khan's speed, and Mathysses' power and the experience of Erik Morales and Zab Judah, and that makes him deserved of the No. 3 slot, the boss said.

Garcia (27-0) said that he's always wanted to rep in PR. He said he visited about two years ago. His dad's side of the family still lives in PR, he said. The fighter said it seems like PR is jazzed for the bout. He wants to solidify himself as a Puerto Rican champ, and considers himself a superb candidate for that designation, though he doesn't live there.

And will any Puerto Rican legends be there to usher him to the ring? “We're working on something, and hopefully everything goes well,” he said. Hmm, any guesses who will accompany “Swift” the the ring come March 15?

He name-checked guys from Miguel Cotto to JuanMa, and said he's happy JuanMa will be on the undercard.

He was asked about not fighting Floyd Mayweather. He said that he lets Al Haymon, the mega advisor, and Golden Boy handle the choosing of foes. He said that he wants to fight the best, but handed that possibility off to management. He doesn't see Herrera as a comedown, he made clear. “Hopefully the Mayweather fight might happen one day,” he said.

Schaefer said that more and more people ask about Mayweather-Garcia; he said that could come to pass in 2015. “I can imagine what an anticipated showdown that will be,” he said. The boss said he'd take a Mayweather fight today, but the kid is smart and patient.

Right now, Garcia knows he's young, 25, and that he's good at 140 for now. “I didn't feel like it was time for me to move up yet,” he said.

I asked Garcia about that No. 3 P4P call by Schaefer. The fighter said that it is accurate, and he thinks his record backs up that call.

I also asked for his assessment of Herrera. He called him “a good, tough fighter”  but that he doesn't think, with all his experience, Herrera can show him anything he hasn't seen. He said we shall see March 15, and isn't worried about what Herrera brings to the table.

I wondered where combative and fiery father Angel Garcia, not present on the call, was. Danny spoke to that.  “He's a businessman, always on the move..he probably forgot about the call.” He assured us that Angel is still Angel, and will be present, in all his profane glory, come fight week.

Schaefer said that the “home field” advantage might not be all good, because there will be added pressure to perform superlatively. He said that foe Mauricio Herrera is noted as a spoiler, someone who will make you pay for a misstep.”There definitely be more demands on him” doing more work to promote the event, Schaefer said of Garcia.

Schaefer said ticket sales are “very strong” and that he anticipates a sellout. This won't likely be a one-off, he said. Schaefer basically said he's filling a vacuum, that the Puerto Ricans are hungering for champs to gravitate toward. If Garcia gets a Mayweather fight, he said the backing of PR fans will be important.

Herrera (20-3) said that his skills pop out even more against strong fighters, and that he has an awkward style which will serve him well on March 15. The underdog was asked about his style. He said that his lack of amateur background helps him, because he's off rhythm, and doesn't fall into predictable patterns.

Herrera said that he thinks he deserves his 2011 win over Ruslan Provodnikov. His loss to Mike Alvarado in 2012 he thinks was closer than it stood on some scorecards. “I thought it was a very close fight,” he said, and thus, both Ls are deceptive.The underdog said that he thinks he is being overlooked, and that some to him as an “ESPN guy.” People make assumptions if you aren't well known or don't have a flashy KO ratio, but, he said, he will show his true worth of March 15.

Herrera said Garcia has pop in both hands, and he will have to be smart, and pick smartly when to fight inside and when to work from further away. He acknowledges it will be a tough fight, and agreed with Schaefer that fighting in PR will add extra pressure to Garcias' shoulders. He will need to jab a lot and will need to have his defense, and his solid chin working for him that night. He won't be afraid to exchange, he said.

Herrera also recalled that he was disappointed that a fight with Brandon Rios fell through but he's shrugged it off.

Readers, Garcia is often tabbled the underdog coming in. But I don't see anyone picking Herrera. What about you?

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