An important fight in Boxing’s 147lb. Welterweight division will take place on Saturday, January 25th as former Jr.Welterweight world champion Danny Garcia will face top contender Ivan Redkach at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. What makes this encounter between two of the top Welterweights in the world important? The fight, which will be broadcast in the United States by Showtime has implications for the future of the World Boxing Council (WBC) Welterweight world championship as it will determine a mandatory challenger for current IBF/WBC world champion Errol Spence.
As many Boxing fans know, Spence was involved in a serious automobile accident in October of last year, weeks after he successfully unified the IBF and WBC crowns with a twelve round unanimous decision over WBC champion Shawn Porter. Although Spence suffered some injuries in the accident where he was ejected from his Ferrari, he has said that he intends to return ti the ring. The circumstances regarding Spence’s situation is a subject to discuss at a later time, but how it relates to the Garcia-Redkach fight is that the elimination bout could ultimately determine a new WBC world champion if Spence is unable to return to the ring within a certain timeframe or if he is stripped by the WBC, with the likely reason being inactivity.
Before anything regarding that can be addressed, Danny Garcia and Ivan Redkach will do battle to at minimum determine a number one contender in the WBC Welterweight ratings. Garcia has been campaigning as a Welterweight since 2015, but has experienced some setbacks since moving up from the 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. Despite winning the vacant WBC Welterweight world championship in January 2016 with a twelve round unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero, Garcia’s reign would be short as he would lose a close twelve round split device in a unification bout with WBA champion Keith Thurman in March 2017. This would be followed by another setback when he came out on the short end of a twelve round unanimous decision to Shawn Porter in September 2018 in a bout for the then vacant WBC crown.
In his last fight, Garcia scored a seventh round knockout over Adrian Granados in April of last year. Garcia is a boxer/puncher who has a compact offensive style. This has worked well for him as he can counter opponents in between their offense while also being able to avoid damage. Although Garcia has won thirty-five of his thirty-seven professional fights, the two fights he lost were largely a result of both Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter being able to out work him over the course of those bouts.
Ivan Redkach meanwhile will come into this fight rated number twenty-five in the WBC’s Welterweight ratings compared to Garcia’s number two rating. The subject of rankings in the sport is something that is always open to criticism, debate, and ridicule. Based on the current rankings, it is understandable how some might question why a fighter who is rated number two in the world by an organization is facing a fighter that is rated twenty-fifth in a fight that is billed as a world championship elimination bout. The politics that be in the sport notwithstanding, Boxing as this observer has often said over the years, is a sport of opportunity and obviously if Redkach can win this fight it will propel him into an opportunity to at least fight for a world championship.
Redkach is a former United States Boxing Association (USBA) champion as a Lightweight, but has thus far failed to earn a notable win against a fighter that most would consider to be championship level. Redkach will enter this fight with Garcia riding a three fight winning streak having scored knockouts in two of those bouts including in his last fight in June of last year when he stopped former Jr. Welterweight world champion Devon Alexander in six rounds. Although this does qualify as a notable win in the eyes of yours truly, some might feel that Redkach defeated a fighter in Alexander, who is on the decline. If Redkach can win this fight however, he will have to be given his due by those who might be questioning why he is in this fight.
In terms of what one can expect when the two fighters get in the ring, it is logical to expect Redkach to be aggressive. If this is the case, Redkach must be tactical in his approach. One might argue that Redkach could have a slight edge in terms of power given that he has a career knockout percentage of over 60% having scored knockouts in eighteen of his twenty-three wins. He must keep in mind that he is facing a precision counter puncher in Garcia that has proven his ability to catch fighters in between punches they throw with punches they cannot see coming.
What may loom ahead for the winner of this fight beyond a potential opportunity to fight Errol Spence,if not potentially earning a vacant world championship with a victory, could be a possible opportunity to face current WBA world champion Manny Pacquiao, who is a fighter that per his Hall of Fame resume, is one of the most sought after fighters in the sport because of the notoriety and lucrative opportunity he brings with him.
With several possibilities that could loom for the winner of this fight, it shouldn’t be difficult to see that there is a lot at stake for both fighters. Such circumstances can produce compelling and competitive fights. Whether or not the Danny Garcia-Ivan Redkach fight is such an occasion remains to be seen.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
Garcia vs. Redkach takes place on Saturday, January 25th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The fight can be seen in the United States on Showtime beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT on cable/satellite providers as well as the Showtime and Showtime Anytime streaming apps. For more information about Showtime, Showtime Sports, and the Showtime and Showtime Anytime streaming apps please visit: www.SHO.com. For additional ticket availability and fight card information please visit: www.premierboxingchampions.com/ and www.BarclaysCenter.com. Check your local TV listings internationally.
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