"Ah man, January 23rd on FOX primetime. It's the first fight on FOX for Premier Boxing Champions and I'm excited...I'm hungry as ever right now. It's a new division, I want to make some noise in this division and I want to be a champion again...I'm hungry and I just want to keep winning, put on great performances, and of course make bigger checks and make my name in the boxing world bigger," stated undefeated former world champion Danny Garcia, who talked about his upcoming January 23 showdown with former world champion Robert Guerrero. Check it out!
PC: Congratulations. You are a new father to a baby girl. What's that like for you being a dad now?
DG: Thank you! It's an amazing feeling. I didn't think it could be this great. A lot of people say it's hard for the first couple of months, but I'm blessed. She's a good baby, a beautiful baby, and it's just extra motivation now that she's in my life.
PC: I was going to ask you if the birth of your daughter changed your approach to your career?
DG: At first, I used to just fight for myself and to better my future and make sure that I fight for my future to be set. But now, I have to make sure that she's okay. So now, I fight for the family. It's more motivation just to make sure that she's okay.
PC: You made your welterweight debut against Paulie Malignaggi, who I feel is somewhat of the litmus test at 147, and now you're returning against Robert Guerrero, who I view as the gut check fight at welterweight. Tell us about January 23rd my man.
DG: Ah man, January 23rd on FOX primetime. It's the first fight on FOX for Premier Boxing Champions and I'm excited. Robert Guerrero is a tough fighter. He brings a lot of mental strength and I look forward to the fight. I can't wait to go to LA and show the LA fans what Danny Garcia is about.
PC: What type of fight are you expecting from Robert Guerrero, because this is essentially a home game for him?
DG: I'm just going to go in there and be the best Danny Garcia that I can be. I have to use my jab, set the pace, and let my combinations go and try to make it an easy fight for me. I gotta go in there and be smart. I just gotta get the job done.
PC: You've been fighting on the east coast of late; 3 hour difference going over to the west coast. Is that a big deal to you or just part of the process?
DG: It doesn't make a big difference to me because I go to sleep late anyway, so it's like I will be going to sleep on time out there (laughing). It's not really that big of a deal to me. I just go out there, get ready to fight, and do my thing.
PC: Did you feel a difference physically being at 147?
DG: I felt strong. I felt real strong. As the rounds went on, I got stronger and I definitely felt like my defense was better. I was able to stay strong from round one until round nine when the fight ended. But as the fight went on, I got stronger and that's because I didn't lose so much weight. I felt a lot stronger and a lot better and I feel like I could do things that I couldn't do at 140 because I was losing so much weight.
PC: Is it difficult for you to train through the holidays?
DG: I'm okay with it. Thanksgiving will be pretty much a regular day, but from this Saturday on will be 8 weeks. We have Christmas coming up, but that won't be a big issue because it's more of a family thing and they are around me even when I'm in training.
PC: I believe Zab Judah was the last southpaw you faced prior to this fight with Guerrero. Any reservations there or it doesn't bother you?
DG: Nah, I mean, I think it's the same thing at the end of the day. You just gotta go in there, make adjustments, and fight a smart fight. Whether they are right-handed or left-handed, it's all the same thing to me.
PC: You don't mind slugging it out, but you have good boxing skills, so that's not necessarily your makeup. How do you avoid the big exchanges and phone booth fights that Guerrero has lured other fighters into?
DG: I actually don't think he's going to try and bang with me because he knows that I know I'm the stronger fighter. I'm stronger and younger. If he coming to bang, we can definitely bang and see who is the stronger man in the middle of the ring. But I don't think he's going to try that. I think he's going to try and box and go to his right; get some combinations off and go to his right and try to keep stepping around. But we got 8 weeks to go and me and my dad and my team will be ready for whatever. We can bang, we can box, we can do whatever.
PC: Whenever you fight in January at the beginning of the year like this, it's the perfect opportunity to send a strong message for the year. What kind of message are you looking to send to start your 2016 campaign?
DG: I just want to start the new year off in great fashion. I want to start with a star performance and start the year off with a bang and give the boxing fans what they want and that's a good fight.
PC: I like the fact that you said you will never tell your father Angel to tune it down. You let him be who he is. Ruben Guerrero, Robert's father, is very vocal as well. Do you see it getting ugly between those two?
DG: I really don't know. We don't sit back and rehearse this stuff. It just goes how it goes. It's up to them. I'm going to leave it up to them and whatever happens, happens. I'm riding with my pops all day.
PC: I spoke with someone and I'll let you address this, but they said that they feel you have made your money and you are now content with where you are in your career. Can you address that statement?
DG: To be honest, I'm hungry as ever right now. It's a new division, I want to make some noise in this division and I want to be a champion again. I'm far from being content and not hungry anymore. It's no secret I've made millions in my career, but that's not what I had in my mind overall. When you make a hundred million, then you will be okay. But right now, I'm hungry and I just want to keep winning, put on great performances, and of course make bigger checks and make my name in the boxing world bigger.
PC: Now that Floyd Mayweather is retired, the pound-for-pound crown is wide open. Do you feel like this is your time to make it to the top of that list?
DG: I really don't get into political things in boxing because at the end of the day, whoever makes it on that list, that's who they like. It's like you're underrated, but it depends on who's rating you. I felt like I should have been pound-for-pound after I beat Amir Khan and I went in as the underdog against Lucas Matthysse. So I think I should have been on the list 2 or 3 years ago if you ask me, but hey, it is what it is and I'll just continue to make my mark in the sport of boxing.
PC: You may never get the credit for this, but when you look at Lucas Matthysse, he's not the same fighter that walked into the ring against you. Do you feel like you took a piece of him in the ring?
DG: Definitely! Before he fought me, he was never even down. I was the first person to knock him down. When I faced Lucas Matthysse, he was on fire. I faced him when nobody else wanted to face him. He was knocking everybody out. And I was the underdog and the world was against me. I faced him when he had 150% momentum. I was completely counted out of that fight to everybody. I beat him when nobody wanted to fight him and no matter what you think of me, you can't tell me he's ever looked the same after I beat him. I don't rate the guys, the people rate him, and after I beat him, it's like they felt he wasn't that good, but they definitely wasn't saying that before the fight.
PC: I appreciate you taking the time out to talk to me during the holidays. Best of luck and we will speak again the closer we get to January 23rd. Is there anything else you want to add before I let you go?
DG: Thank you! I just want to make sure all of my fans follow me on Instagram @DannySwiftGarcia, Twitter @DannySwift and I got SnapChat @TeamDSG. They can visit my website at www.dsgofficial.com for all of your DSG apparel and come January 23rd, Danny Garcia is fighting The Ghost, so I guess I'm going to be The Phantom that night!
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]