Thurman V Garcia [Vol.III]: ‘Swift’ Justice

“If they don’t like you for being yourself– be yourself even more.”
Taylor Swift

If that statement could stand as a reason to listen to Taylor’s music, then its the same reason to watch a certain Latino from Philadelphia fight. Danny “Swift” Garcia is adamant about being Danny Oscar Garcia. You wanna know something else? He doesn’t give a fuck what you think about either guy.

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On Tuesday, February 21 at a little past 3p.m. ET, the WBC welterweight champion and WBA welterweight champion Keith “One-Time” Thurman participated in an international press conference call to promote their titanic March 4 showdown on CBS. It wasn’t particularly enthralling (until ESPN’s Dan Rafael tried to produce invective near the end over a past press event you may recall)– as Swift sprinkled ‘at the end of the day’ on nearly every answer he gave, sounding as if he couldn’t wait for the presser to just end.

But at the beginning of another day: a rainy, dreary day a few bars back in Atlantic City, NJ; Swift dropped a truly remarkable interview on “The Reveal” with Mark Kreigel for SHOWTIME. It cannot be understated just how great a job Kreigel did in exposing what constitutes the depth of Danny Garcia, and in the process, perhaps revealed why he’ll beat Keith Thurman decisively on March 4.

Not many know that a young Garcia endured a great deal of pain after his outspoken father was incarcerated at age 7, and that he couldn’t really see his father until he turned 10. “He just did his time. For him, it was more painful for him to see us and not leave with us,” said an emotional Garcia. Hardly anyone knows how Danny Garcia- the child, endured the harsh reality of homelessness and the often unstated difficulty of racism against Latinos. It nearly ruined him.

A captain-less Garcia was kept behind in elementary grades 2 and 3. In his teens, they didn’t know about the episodic trauma of Angel’s triumphant battle with cancer; or, about rampant speculation concerning his presumed death. “We had people coming into the gym fighting about who was going to train me when my Dad dies,” revealed Garcia. “I would tell my Dad, ‘These people are really fighting over who’s going to train me if you die’. You can’t die.”

He is the unknown truth of “The Comeback”. Whether due to being misunderstood or misperceived- or both, the mischaracterization of Danny Garcia has been an engine of fuel for the young champion. Add a bit more of the pure super unleaded variety from a known peer.

“Its hard to put Danny in the same category as Kell Brook and Keith Thurman. Danny doesn’t want to fight hard competition. I can say Kell Brook has heart. I can say Keith Thurman has heart. I don’t know how much heart Danny Garcia has.”

Shawn Porter

His jaded eyes almost glowing to mirror the perceived envy attached to those remarks, Swift pounced quickly. “He’s only saying that because he fought them– and they both beat him,” countered Garcia. “So I have to fight Shawn Porter to show that I have heart? [Danny Garcia] is the most dangerous fighter in this division. I’ve always been the underdog and overlooked my whole career. What are they going to say when my hand is raised again? On March 4th, its the Danny Garcia Show.”

You’re invited Keith Thurman. (Up Next…Thurman V Garcia [Vol.IV]: “One-Time For Ya Mind”)