Danny Garcia’s Barclays Center Legacy: A Ranked Retrospective of His Nine Fights
Though a native of Philadelphia, Danny “Swift” Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) forged a powerful connection with the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, establishing it as his secondary boxing home. He inaugurated the venue`s boxing calendar in October 2012 and has since competed there nine times, achieving a commendable record of seven victories and two defeats. As his distinguished career approaches its conclusion at 37, Garcia is set to headline a “Farewell to Brooklyn” event on Saturday, which he is also promoting. This landmark tenth and final appearance in the arena will see him face Daniel Gonzalez.
“Being able to promote my final fight at Barclays Center, doing it out of desire rather than necessity, truly means everything to me,” Garcia shared. “It`s a dream realized, and I couldn`t envision a more fitting end to this chapter.”
Garcia`s Puerto Rican heritage has been instrumental in his embrace of Barclays as a second home, and he takes immense pride in orchestrating his own celebratory send-off.
In anticipation of his upcoming bout, we reflect on and rank his nine previous performances at the Barclays Center, incorporating Garcia`s personal recollections and his own assessment of each fight.
1. Defeated Erik Morales by TKO4 (Oct. 20, 2012)
Garcia earned the distinction of headlining Brooklyn`s first boxing event in 81 years, opening the Barclays Center against the revered Mexican legend, Erik Morales. This rematch followed Garcia`s earlier unanimous decision victory over Morales in 2012, which secured him the vacant WBC junior welterweight title. His impressive year continued by adding the WBA title after stunning Amir Khan. While the Morales rematch concluded a remarkable year for Garcia, he initially preferred to fight in Philadelphia. Yet, his Puerto Rican heritage quickly cemented Barclays as his cherished second home. “I distinctly remember wanting to fight in Philly,” Garcia recounted. “Initially, I questioned why I was going to Brooklyn, but then I considered the vast Puerto Rican population, the vibrant hip-hop culture, and the passionate boxing fans in New York. It turned into a perfect synergy.” Despite Morales being past his prime, and fans anticipating a matchup with Lucas Matthysse (which would happen a year later), Garcia expertly handled “El Terrible.” In the fourth round, Garcia delivered a flawless counter left hook, twisting Morales` torso and sending him against the bottom rope. The fight ended without a count as Morales` corner immediately intervened to prevent further injury. “It was a flawless night,” Garcia stated. “The inaugural fight at Barclays, defending my titles with a spectacular knockout. It doesn`t get any better than that.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 1
2. Defeated Zab Judah by UD12 (April 27, 2013)
Garcia`s second appearance at Barclays brought him into the territory of former champion Zab “Super” Judah. A two-division champion hailing from Brooklyn, Judah perceived Garcia`s headlining of the venue`s debut boxing event as a personal slight. Their unified 140-pound title clash was preceded by an intense rivalry. Garcia noted, “[Judah] felt disrespected in his Brooklyn hometown, so he wouldn`t allow anyone to come in and disrespect him. My father engaged in much of the pre-fight verbal sparring, and Judah responded in kind. That encapsulated the entire atmosphere.” The bout itself was an engaging slugfest, with both fighters eager to prove their words. Garcia established an early lead, dropping Judah in the eighth round, but then had to withstand a late surge from the former champion to secure the decision. “Many people characterized me as flat-footed and merely a hard hitter before that fight,” Garcia recalled. “I relished the opportunity to demonstrate my broader skill set as a young champion, showcasing excellent timing and potent counterpunching against a slick boxer.” If the Morales fight was the grand opening, the Judah fight solidified Garcia`s drawing power at Barclays. “The anticipation, the animosity, the crowd – everything about it was simply electrifying,” Garcia concluded.
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 2
3. Lost to Keith Thurman by SD12 (March 4, 2017)
It might seem unusual to rank a loss so high, but both the author and Garcia himself concur that this fight, despite the outcome, represents one of his most significant Brooklyn performances. He suffered a narrow split decision defeat to Thurman in a nationally televised CBS event, which drew an average of 3.74 million viewers for the main attraction. “Losing that fight was difficult to accept,” Garcia reflected, “but in hindsight, it was an incredible night for boxing.” Garcia maintained an aggressive posture in this clash of undefeated fighters, witnessed by a crowd of 16,533 – a Barclays boxing attendance record at the time (later surpassed by Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach in February 2025). Thurman, however, displayed masterful boxing, integrating power shots to disrupt Garcia`s rhythm. While Thurman sought a tactical contest, Garcia managed to ignite several impactful exchanges and finished the fight powerfully, winning the final three rounds on one judge`s card and two of the last three on another. Ultimately, “One Time” secured the split-decision victory. “He proved to be a bit better than I anticipated,” Garcia admitted. “I didn`t underestimate him, but I genuinely believed he couldn`t defeat me, even on an off night. I was mistaken; he was at his peak.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 3
4. Defeated Lamont Peterson by MD12 (April 11, 2015)
Originally slated as a junior welterweight title unification, the bout between Garcia and Peterson ultimately occurred at a 143-pound catchweight, as Garcia struggled to meet the 140-pound limit. Both fighters entered the ring with something to prove: Garcia was coming off a contentious decision victory against Mauricio Herrera, while Peterson was still rebuilding after a knockout loss to Lucas Matthysse. Garcia later revealed he felt unwell before the fight. “It`s fortunate he wasn`t aware I felt poor,” Garcia confessed. “I had to find a mental reserve I`d never accessed before to complete that fight, as I had no energy.” Garcia initiated with a strong start, securing the early rounds by applying relentless pressure and targeting Peterson`s body. Peterson, wary of Garcia`s power, spent the initial rounds evading exchanges and selecting his moments. Recognizing he was trailing, Peterson intensified his efforts in the latter half of the fight, leading to several exciting exchanges. Ultimately, Garcia`s early dominance proved just enough to withstand Peterson`s spirited late rally.
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 5
5. Defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by MD12 (July 30, 2022)
Although not among Garcia`s most technically brilliant performances, this fight`s significance stemmed from the personal battles he overcame to secure the win and his powerful post-fight revelation. “I had been battling anxiety and depression for nearly two years following my loss to Errol Spence Jr.,” Garcia disclosed. “I truly doubted if I would ever fight again.” Making his junior middleweight debut against Benavidez, Garcia appeared sharp, returning to the win column. His 153 landed punches in the bout marked a career high, all essential against a visibly larger opponent. However, it was his post-fight address that resonated most profoundly. Reflecting on his 19-month boxing hiatus, Garcia stated, “Things grew dark. I endured anxiety, deep depression, all while striving to stay strong. The only path forward was to fight again. I am a fighter. If you are struggling with anxiety and depression, you can overcome it. That`s what I did today. I fought.” While the victory was crucial, Garcia was unaware of the profound impact his message would have on viewers. “That was a truly special night because I could connect with so many people through my words,” he remarked. “It transcended merely winning a fight; my voice was heard, and I connected with fans on a different level.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 6
6. Defeated Paulie Malignaggi by TKO9 (Aug. 1, 2015)
Garcia once again confronted a Brooklyn native at Barclays Center when Paulie Malignaggi greeted him in the welterweight division. Despite Malignaggi being past his prime, he was only one bout removed from holding a championship title. While Garcia was widely expected to win, he dismantled Malignaggi with overwhelming dominance. From the outset, Garcia relentlessly assaulted and bruised Malignaggi with a barrage of powerful punches. Fans, though supportive of Malignaggi, could only witness their hometown hero endure a severe beating from Garcia. “Even though I stopped him in his own territory, it wasn`t a highly anticipated fight,” Garcia commented. “It was simply a fight against a former world champion.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 7
7. Defeated Rod Salka by TKO9 (Aug. 9, 2014)
This particular fight sparks significant disagreement between the author and Garcia regarding its placement on the ranking. It was a clear mismatch, as Salka, a low-tier opponent with a meager record, arguably had no place sharing the ring with Garcia. Nevertheless, Garcia received substantial compensation for his swift two-round demolition. According to Garcia, it served as an ideal rebound fight following his unexpectedly challenging decision win against Mauricio Herrera. “I had just defeated five former or current world champions in five consecutive title fights,” Garcia explained. “I opted for a safe opponent because PBC was about to launch, and I wanted to ensure I secured the Lamont Peterson fight.” If nothing else, Garcia cherishes the fight`s conclusion: “Swift” dropped Salka three times in the second round, with the final knockdown delivering a spectacular, lights-out left hook that instantly separated Salka from consciousness. “I faced a lot of criticism for that fight,” Garcia admitted. “But that knockout will always stay with me.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 4
8. Defeated Ivan Redkach by UD12 (Jan. 25, 2020)
This bout marked another of Garcia`s tune-up contests held at Barclays. Following his loss to Shawn Porter, Garcia was working to regain title contention, having recently defeated Adrian Granados. He was initially scheduled to face Errol Spence Jr. on this date, but Spence was sidelined due to a car accident the previous October. Opting not to wait, Garcia proceeded with a fight against Redkach to maintain activity. Unbeknownst to him, the COVID-19 pandemic would halt the sports world two months later, delaying his eventual showdown with Spence until that December. “It was a choice between fighting Redkach or waiting until April for Spence,” Garcia explained. “I wasn`t certain if Spence would even return, so I decided to fight a southpaw to stay sharp.” Garcia delivered a dominant, one-sided beating to Redkach, who absorbed significant punishment but endured until the final bell before over 8,000 spectators. “I beat him quite handily,” Garcia remarked. “The fans turned out, and I accomplished what I needed to.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 9
9. Lost to Shawn Porter by UD12 (Sept. 8, 2018)
Two former welterweight champions clashed for the vacant WBC title before a crowd of 13,058, delivering an exciting and tightly contested battle that Garcia ultimately lost by a narrow unanimous decision. In contrast to his fight with Thurman, Garcia expressed profound dissatisfaction with his performance, convinced he had deserved the victory. “That was my poorest fight,” Garcia lamented. “That loss has always troubled me. I believed I won. It wasn`t my sharpest outing, but I felt I landed the cleaner punches. I simply felt superior to him and didn`t receive the decision.” Porter`s relentless pressure from the opening bell compelled Garcia to constantly defend. The fight largely unfolded on Porter`s terms whenever he initiated engagement, forcing Garcia to maintain distance and counter his advances. Garcia found some success in the early rounds, landing powerful shots, but none were sufficient to deter Porter`s persistent aggression. Following an exciting contest, Garcia lost with scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113. A small silver lining for Garcia was finally shedding the “Cherry Garcia” moniker critics had bestowed upon him for supposedly avoiding difficult opponents. “I earned respect by taking that fight, but I also felt I was far superior to him,” Garcia commented. “Losing such a close decision in what felt like my hometown was unfathomable. I despise that fight.”
Garcia`s ranking among his Barclays fights: 8
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