By Michael Collazo
For boxing champion and Pennsylvania native Danny Garcia, his goals clearly involve winning both inside and outside the ring.
Inside the ring, the Philly boxer has had a charmed life. Despite little hype as a boxing prospect, he won his first world championship at age 28. Boxing fans would remember his biggest highlights: the one-punch upset win against Amir Khan in 2012; his surprise domination of Argentino Lucas Mattysse in 2013; his methodical victories against guys like Robert Guerrero, Zab Judah and Bunola, PA’s Rod Salka the last few years.
Still, he has his critics.
Regardless, Garcia works for today and tomorrow. His upbringing certainly has prepared him.
“I always say I have best of both worlds,” Garcia said. “I got that Philly fight and Puerto Rican blood.”
It’s true, fighting is in his blood. Danny’s father and trainer, Angel, is a mechanic by trade but boxed in his youth. Angel had Danny boxing at an early age. Even then he was taking notes on how his favorite fighters worked their craft.
“Julio Cesar Chavez, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones, Jr., Felix Trinidad – fighters of that nature [were my favorites],” remembered Garcia. “I loved [Chavez and Hopkins’] ring generalship. When you watched Trinidad and Jones, it was more than a fight. It was entertainment.”
After a stellar amateur career and then building his resume as a young pro, this city kid found himself fighting in legendary fight towns like Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.
Today, he can call himself a champion.
Still some say he has, as one boxing writer put it, “mastered the art of getting by” — that he has been held back from the very top opponents by his management. He has won fights, critics say, he really should have lost. They would say, for instance, Garcia really didn’t win that Mauricio Herrera fight in Puerto Rico or that Lamont Peterson bout in Brooklyn.
“You know, I fight nothing but the best,” Garcia insisted. Though mild mannered, this topic seemed to perk him up a little bit. “The media always talk [me] down, but I always fight top fighters. The young fighters – they have to work to get up to where I am. I always fight [the] top, I am a true champion. I can beat anyone they put in front of me.”
Garcia is also trying to be a champion in his personal life. Now a father to a baby daughter, he owns real estate in the Philly area and in Florida, a barbershop — in his old neighborhood on Jasper Street — and has his DSG fashion line. He posts on his Instagram page not only pictures of his family and his DSG gear but his thoughts on investing in things that pay you back, not just in things that look like you are paid.
“It’s all about buying, selling property, the barbershop, making good income on those properties,” Garcia said. “I’m gonna keep investing in the smart things, keep investing – and investing in myself.”
Garcia has come this far but he still has dreams. He would love to fight as a champion in Philly or Atlantic City for his local fans. He is doing some TV commentary for Fox Sports this summer. Of course, he still has fights to make and more championships to win.
In the end, regardless of what boxing record Garcia finishes his career with, he’s winning.
“I want to be remembered as a great champion, somebody who was caring, a good father, looked like for my community and Philly,” said Garcia, “and an all- around great fighter.”