Premier Boxing Champions will present a talent-stacked fight card in Brooklyn, New York, on July 30, During the evening’s main event, Danny “Swift” Garcia will make his debut in the highly coveted super-welterweight division in a spirited fight against the world-class force Jose Benavidez Jr. A live stream of the event will appear on Showtime, but we'll enjoy a double-header of instant classics that prepares us for the Garcia/Benavidez matchup.
The main event will be a co-main event between Polish champion Adam Kownacki and Turkish Olympic supernova Ali Eren Demirezen, among other highlights. Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions, shared his thoughts on the upcoming event: “This card on July 30 has everything a boxing fan could ask for and is set up to deliver compelling action from start to finish,” Brown said. “Philidelphia’s Danny Garcia has established a solid fan base in Brooklyn and will look to give them a show in his 154-pound debut against the always tough Jose Benavidez Jr."
“The heavyweight clash in the co-main event will be full of action as well, as popular heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki takes on Ali Eren Demirezen, with both fighters looking to take a big step up the heavyweight ladder. Plus, Gary Antuanne Russell has garnered recognition as a future pound-for-pound star. He can continue solidifying those credentials battling the crafty former champion Rances Barthelemy opening up the action on Showtime.”
The world of professional boxing boasts an extensive rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico, and both Garcia and Benavidez are eager to defend their heritage in the fight. In each of his fights, Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) has drawn a large fan base as he is based in Philadelphia. His advantage over his rivals is that he will naturally own more tickets from the PA sports betting crowd, and outside of PA, Brooklyn is an attractive place for fight nights to hold, so he will have a strong reputation there as well.
Throughout his career, he has been a Philly fighter for a very long time, and he has recounted his wins on the Golden Gloves at the Blue Horizon, an arena that was cozy enough that, on either side, the back-rowers could talk to the corner men. The Philadelphia influence of Garcia on a fight isn't the only thing he brings to it.
There is expected to be an impact on the betting odds for Garcia walking back to the Barclays Center for his ninth appearance, where he made his debut as a professional.
“This is my 11th fight on SHOWTIME, and it’s been a journey creating history at Barclays Center or wherever we fight,” Garcia commented during the event’s press conference. “I’ve been off for a little bit, but I’m back in the gym like I never left. I feel great mentally, physically, and spiritually. I’m ready to give the fans a great fight. I have a lot of young guys in this camp here with me, and they keep me on my toes. The hunger that they have gives me that motivation. Boxing is a grueling sport, so you have to find time to have fun. I’m doing that again, and I know that no one can touch me once I’m happy.”
Jose A. Benavidez Junior (27-1-1, 18 KOs) comes from a boxing family and is the brother of world champion David Benavidez. Both the brothers were trained by Jose Sr. and cornered by him twice. Boxing has been a passion of the 29-year-old native of Panorama City, California, since he was six years old. In the past, he never got the chance to spend time with his family over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Despite missing special moments, he was there when his two-year-old daughter took her first steps and spoke for the first time.
From the time he was six, Benavidez wore boxing gloves. In addition to training camps, diets, morning runs, pounding asphalt, and sparring sessions, the grind was often more than just the weights. There can be a psychological strain associated with it. Benavidez has shifted his focus over the super welterweight division after losing the 147-pound champion, Terence Crawford. After nearly three years, he had a drawn battle with Emanuel Torres last time when making his debut in the weight class.
As a result of Torres' technical style, the Phoenix-born fighter was frustrated by his stand-and-bang approach. “My last opponent was running and running,” Benavidez commented at the press conference. “And I’m looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Danny. I hit hard, he hits hard, so there’s going to be a knockout whether we look for it or not. I’m staying in shape, and I’m focused."
“I want to fight the best of the best. I don’t duck or dodge anyone. I don’t care about the record. I train to win. This is an exciting fight with Danny, and it’s a fight the fans will want to see. Danny was the perfect pick for my next opponent.”
Conclusion
Although the betting odds have not yet been released, Danny Garcia will almost certainly open as the favorite over Jose Benavidez Jr. An almost tragic story about Benavidez Jr. is that he failed to fulfill his potential. In 2020, his loss to Crawford seemed to have derailed his career, despite lots of hype emerging from the ranks. The fact that he has yet to beat anyone of high caliber is also surprising at this stage of his career, given his potential.