"Well, with Danny, if he makes the weight, he's already halfway to winning the fight. Danny is a big dude. He walks around almost 170 pounds and a lot of guys can't do that...I really don't know how he makes the weight, but as long as he does, the rest of the 140-pounders are in trouble. Danny Garcia is a problem for anybody," stated world-class trainer Naazim Richardson, who shared his thoughts on Danny Garcia's recent TKO victory over Amir Khan, where both fighters go from here, and much more. Check it out!
PC: Brother Naaz, you know I had to hit you up and get your thoughts on one of your soldiers, Danny Garcia.
NR: Well, with Danny, if he makes the weight, he's already halfway to winning the fight. Danny is a big dude. He walks around almost 170 pounds and a lot of guys can't do that. I heard he used my quote, saying he's not shocked, he's just proud (laughing).
PC: Yes, he did. It's funny you say that because when I met him, that was the first thing I asked him was how he made 140.
NR: Yeah, he walks around big and not a lot of fighters can do that because he's not weak. He can still crack your ass and make it feel like a middleweight is hitting you. He is real strong at the weight and usually when a guy loses that kind of weight, they leave that power behind. I really don't know how he makes the weight, but as long as he does, the rest of the 140-pounders are in trouble. Danny Garcia is a problem for anybody.
PC: It's crazy because the first time I spoke to you, you rattled off a lot of names, saying, "Perc, you gotta watch this Andre Ward kid, you gotta watch young Danny Garcia, pay attention to Hank Lundy," and now all of these guys are champions. What is it like watching them grow over the years?
NR: It's been a pleasure, man, seeing these young soldiers doing their thing. I remember seeing all of these dudes in the amateurs and I told you they would be special. I'm getting "Dynamite" Karl Dargan there now. We trying to get him on a few shows this year and let him break out. I remember Danny GarciaÂ…that little rascal there would lose and the next day be saying, "I'm gonna get 'em next time." They had two twins out of Puerto Rico used to give him hell, but he would be looking for their ass (laughing). When you got that mindset, pro or amateur, you gonna be a problem. You gotta see his two twin sisters, man. They don't give a damn that he is a fighter; they give him hell. I remember going to his fights and they would be causing terror in the hotel (laughing). He deserves it, man. He is a hardworking kid and he loves boxing.
PC: You gotta love his pops too, man. I know a lot of people don't, but I like his style.
NR: That dude is as crazy as the days are long, but you know what? He's a lot like Calzaghe's pops; they are just crazy enough to be good at what they do.
PC: One of my friends on Facebook asked me what I thought about you possibly training Amir Khan. Not trying to replace Roach or anything, but it seems a lot of people think they have gone as far as they can together. What you think?
NR: Khan is a good fighter, but I tell you, I don't think Khan can make 140 pounds anymore. He is one of those guys I remember when he approached me, I was looking at his shoulders and shit and he is a big dude. Zab probably should have been his last fight at that weight. Lamont dug in him a little bit and now Danny stopped him, so he needs to get out of that division. I don't think it's an easy weight for him to make anymore. He's been talking about moving up. And the funny thing is, he was faster than Danny and he may be a better fighter than Danny, but some things you can't teach or they don't show up on paper.
PC: And what people have to understand is when you say he may be a better fighter, that's not a knock on Danny Garcia because I know some people will read that and assume it was a shot, but we have seen guys like Danny Garcia come around before and he doesn't always have to be the better fighter; he just finds ways to win.
NR: I call it the Iran Barkley effect. Iran was never the fastest or strongest, he didn't have the greatest chin, but a good one, and he found ways to win. And he is the first fighter to win a decision over Tommy Hearns. You didn't win decisions over Hearns because when you have a guy that can box that good and punch as hard as TommyÂ…he kept you at bay with that power and he could box his ass off, so it was tough to win a decision over Tommy and that went for anyone, Hagler and Leonard included. But you're right, it's not a knock on Danny Garcia. At the end of the day, Pacquiao may be a better fighter than Klitschko, but when Klitschko hit his ass, all of that will be forgotten.
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