Still relevant: Erislandy Lara-Danny Garcia Prepare for wba title fight

By: Sean Crose

He was one of premier names of the late Mayweather era. A multidivsion titlist, he had bested such notables as Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson, Pauline Malignaggi, Erik Morales and others. What’s more, Danny Garcia’s three losses came to likely Hall of Famers Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, and Errol Spence. In short, Garcia’s career had been nothing if not highly successful. Now, however, the Philly native is 36 years of age. What’s more, Garcia has only fought three times in the last four years. Garcia, however, is once again set to return to the ring. His opponent this time will fellow late Mayweather era notable Erislandy Lara.

Lara, although he owns the WBA middleweight title strap, hasn’t been particularly active himself as of late. In the past four years, the fighter known as “The American Dream” has only fought one more time than Garcia has. On top of all that, Lara is 41 to Garcia’s 36. It may seem like the old timer’s league of boxing, but the fact is, Garcia-Lara may still be an intriguing bout. Considering the fact that the middleweight division isn’t the hotbed of intrigue it once was, each fighter has a chance to attain prominence once again.

At his best, Garcia is a sharp shooting counter puncher while Lara has been a slick and practiced boxer. He may have been known as a junior welterweight and welterweight, but now Garcia is fighting at middle this time around. Will he still have the snap to his punches he used to? And what about Lara? At his age will he still have the fluidity that once made him such formidable competition? These are the kinds of questions that generally arise when fighters past their heydays remain in – or return to – the ring.

Lara-Garcia is the kind of fight that would be perfect on basic cable or streaming. You’ll have to pay to see it – but it’s worth noting that Lara-Garcia is part of an impressive undercard for the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga bout on September 14 in Vegas. And, for those who remember or enjoyed watching Garcia and Lara around a decade ago, there’s some nostalgia in play here, too.

On top, of course, of the WBA middleweight belt. Major titles have a way of keeping a fighter current, after all. The winner of Lara-Garcia will certainly will be aging, but no one will be able to call him irrelevant.