Danny Garcia Vs Adrian Granados Card
Former unified 140-pound king and WBC welterweight champion Danny “Swift” Garcia takes on the dangerous Adrian Granados in what looks to be an exciting welterweight scrap that will headline a PBC fight card on April 20, 2019 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
- Danny Garcia v Adrian Granados: Ticket and undercard information released. Former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia will battle hard-hitting veteran Adrian.
- Former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and veteran contender Adrian Granados previewed their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes main event showdown at a press conference in Los Angeles Tuesday as they prepare to square-off Saturday, April 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
On Saturday, April 20th, Premiere Boxing Champions will hold a live prime time boxing event on FOX from the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, and it features a welterweight clash between former champ Danny Garcia and the veteran Adrian Granados. Also on the card is a co-main event featuring two heavyweights looking to become contenders in Andy Ruiz Jr. and Alexander Dimitrenko.
The third fight scheduled for the FOX broadcast portion of the night is a WBA interim super bantamweight title match between the undefeated Brandon Figueroa and a former champ Yongfrez Parejo.
In total, there are a dozen boxing matches penciled in for the event with FOX’s television coverage beginning at 8 PM ET. There will also be a FS1 portion of the event for the prelim fights, which begins right after the main card portion ends. Unfortunately, boxing betting sites don’t have betting odds listed for all of the fights. With that said, let’s take a deeper dive into the available odds to see if there’s any value and to KO our picks.
Garcia. Granados. Fight Week is here . pic.twitter.com/Livgp9Eias
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) April 15, 2019
Yonfrez Parejo (23-3-1, 11 KOs) vs Brandon Figueroa (18-0, 13 KOs)
- Yonfrez Parejo (+1350)
- Brandon Figueroa (-2775)
Parejo is a former champ who’s more experienced than his opponent. However, he is the underdog in this fight. In fact, he is a huge underdog despite his championship experience. Figueroa has quickly shot up the ladder and is a highly touted fighter that’s stepped outside of his brother’s shadow. Neither competitor offers any betting value. However, Parejo is a very risky flyer for those betting daredevils out there.
Parejo vs Figueroa Preview
| Boxer | Yonfrez Parejo | Brandon Figueroa |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 32 | 22 |
| Height | — | 5’8” |
| Reach | — | 72” |
| Total Fights | 26 | 18 |
| Record | 22-3-1 | 18-0 |
| Knockouts | 11 | 13 |
Figueroa comes into this contest unbeaten and touted as one of the next best super bantamweights. He last fought 3 months ago and won via KO. Brandon has won 5 straight fights via KO/TKO and will be looking to extend that streak this weekend. However, he understands that his opponent is going to be a tough challenge on Saturday:
“I’m facing a game opponent who’s fought a lot of great fighters. I know he’s a boxer who likes to jab and move. He’s going to give me the straight right-left hook combo, so I have to attack the body. It’s going to be a chess match to see how he deals with my pressure. This is one of the biggest fights of my career with this title on the line. I feel strong and ready. I can’t wait for April 20.”
If Figueroa can get the win this weekend then he’ll definitely be looking for bigger fights in the near future and potentially moving up in weight:
“Everything is going the way it’s planned and I know if I stay focused and take care of business, I’ll be fighting for a world title by the end of the year. The plan would eventually be to move up and continue to challenge myself at featherweight and even beyond that. I want to reach the top of several divisions. But that’s for the future, and I can’t look past April 20.”
The first part of that plan is to win on Saturday. However, if Yonfrez Parejo has anything to say about it then Figueroa could taste his first defeat. Parejo is a veteran of the sport and 10 years older than his opponent. He’s fought world champs and has been on this big stage several times before. Parejo knows what to expect and will be ready for his younger counterpart this weekend.
Roughly 1 year ago, Parejo was fighting for the WBA super bantamweight title held by Ryan Burnett. Unfortunately, he came out on the wrong side of a UD outcome. But Parejo bounced back and won his last fight, which was a tune-up bout in February. Parejo won via KO, which was the 11th KO victory of his career.
Can Figueroa Remain Undefeated?
Figueroa comes from a strong boxing family with a talented older brother who has seen a great deal of success in the sport of boxing. In fact, Brandon is trying to prove that he’s more than just Omar’s little brother. With that said, I expect a solid performance from Brandon this weekend.
I believe Parejo will put up a good fight against Figueroa and make Brandon go the distance. Yonfrez has lost 3 times, but the last two fights were decision losses. He’s only been stopped once in his career and that was against Hugo Ruiz back in 2012. So, I don’t see the veteran getting KO’d in this fight despite Figueroa’s 72% KO rate. More than likely, this will go the distance and Brandon will win via UD after showcasing his boxing arsenal.
Alexander Dimitrenko (41-4, 26 KOs) vs Andy Ruiz Jr (31-1, 20 KOs)
- Alexander Dimitrenko (+825)
- Andy Ruiz Jr (-1500)
Ruiz is the touted contender for this fight, so it’s not a surprise that he’s the betting favorite. I will say that his odds are a bit lower than I would’ve expected for someone looking to get back into the title scene. Dimitrenko is older and has also fought for titles, but he has lost against some of the better competition that’s he’s faced. I also would’ve expected his odds to be higher. With that said, neither fighter offers betting value and Dimitrenko isn’t worth a flyer.
Dimitrenko vs Ruiz Preview
| Boxer | Alexander Dimitrenko | Andy Ruiz Jr |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 36 | 29 |
| Height | 6’7” | 6’2” |
| Reach | 82” | 74” |
| Total Fights | 45 | 32 |
| Record | 41-4 | 31-1 |
| Knockouts | 26 | 20 |
Alexander Dimitrenko is 7 years older than his opponent. He also has a 5 inch height and 8 inch reach advantage. On paper, that would be enough to intimidate most men. Unfortunately, Alexander hasn’t been able to put it all together and become a contender for world titles.
Dimitrenko spent the majority of his career in Europe. His US debut came last August and he lost via TKO to Bryan Jennings for two regional belts. That was his last fight and now he’s looking to step up in competition and pull off the upset. To his credit, Dimitrenko has KO’d 26 opponents in his 41 career wins. However, he’s also been stopped 3 times in his 4 losses.
Ruiz fought for the WBO world title back in December 2016, but lost via Majority Decision to Joseph Parker. It left a bad tasted in his mouth, and he’s been trying to get back into title contention ever since. Ironically, Parker defeated Dimitrenko via KO just two months prior to his fight with Ruiz.
After that loss, Ruiz would go on to defeat Vargas via KO 13 months ago and then score a UD win over Kevin Johnson last July. After the long layoff, Ruiz is highly motivated for this fight. He’s looking to make a big statement in his debut under the PBC banner. Ruiz believes that his hard work will pay off this weekend and that he has a solid game plan to take out Dimitrenko:
“All the hard work in the gym has been paying off and I feel prepared for April 20. I’m facing an experienced guy who’s tall, but I think my pressure and my speed will make it difficult for him. We’ve looked at Dimitrenko’s past fights and put together a game plan. We’re going to stick to it and execute. We’re going to attack the body and I think with my speed and combinations I’m going to get him out of there.”
Can Ruiz Take a Big Step Towards Title Contention?
Not only does Ruiz want one of the top spots in the heavyweight division, he also wants to be the first Mexican heavyweight champ. He’s extremely motivated to fight for the Mexican fans and to make this dream a reality. Speaking of reality, unless Ruiz goes into this fight reckless and throws out his game plan, there’s no way that Dimitrenko will win.
Ruiz is the more talented fighter between the two. Alexander doesn’t have a great resume except for two or three fights. The other 40 fights have been against regional opponents that nobody has ever heard of. This fight is going to be a showcase for Ruiz’s skills. He will need to win in convincing fashion in order to be viewed as a potential challenger for a world title.
I believe that Ruiz is going to get the TKO in this fight. I think Dimitrenko is ripe for the knockout. If you are going to bet on Ruiz then get in on these odds now because they will probably go up as we get closer to fight night.
Adrian Granados (20-6-2, 14 KOs) vs Danny Garcia (34-2, 20 KOs)
- Adrian Granados (+1350)
- Danny Garcia (-2775)
The main event of the night features two veterans on different trajectories. With that said, Garcia is a huge betting favorite as he attempts to get back into the title picture. Granados is hoping not to blow his last big payday and to pull off the upset. Neither fighter offers nay betting value. Although Granados is a hard hitter, I don’t give him a puncher’s chance to win and I don’t believe he’s worthy of a flyer.
Granados vs Garcia Preview
| Boxer | Adrian Granados | Danny Garcia |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 29 | 31 |
| Height | 5’8” | 5’8” |
| Reach | 74” | 69” |
| Total Fights | 28 | 36 |
| Record | 20-6-2 | 34-2 |
| Knockouts | 14 | 20 |
Granados has earned a reputation for being a tough fighter that has delivered some exciting, action packed fights over the years. Unfortunately, he hasn’t always come out the winner of those contests despite what fans and critics thought. For example, he lost two fights in a row to Broner and Porter, which some people believing that Granados had defeated at least Broner.
Granados fought three times last year and went 2-0 with 1 ND. His two victories were via KO/TKO and he’s looking to keep that momentum going. However, those opponents were at least three steps lower than Danny Garcia. But, Granados does have plenty of experience in big fights, which is exactly what he’s facing this weekend in the main event of PBC on Fox.
Despite having 6 losses in his career, Granados remains confident in his skills and his chances this weekend. His mission is to win this fight by stopping Garcia in the late rounds of the contest and avoiding putting his fate in the hands of the judges:
“Danny’s a strong, smart, counter-puncher when he’s allowed to set you up for that big shot, so I’ve got to be smarter with the defense. Danny’s there to bang it out in a war of fireworks, but I’m tired of losing controversial fights. I’m taking this out of the judges’ hands to demonstrate that I’m an elite fighter. I’m planning to hand Garcia his third loss with an impressive show. I’ve got to dominate a one-sided fight or win by knockout. I see myself winning by late stoppage.”
Danny Garcia is a former champ who lost two of his last three fights. His last bout was in September and he suffered a UD loss to Shawn Porter. Roughly 25 months ago, Garcia lost to Keith Thurman via SD in a big championship fight. Both of his career losses were in title fights. However, some critics still think that Garcia defeated Thurman.
Nevertheless, those two losses haven’t hurt Garcia’s confidence. He still believes that he’s a top fighter in the weight class:
“I really feel like a lot of the top welterweights are at the same level. Me being in there with [Shawn] Porter and [Keith] Thurman. These are two of the best welterweights. That’s how I really feel. There’s really no top guy for me. Me, Thurman and Porter all fought each other. Errol Spence really hasn’t fought no one. [Terence] Crawford hasn’t fought nobody yet at welterweight. So you can’t really assess it until everybody fights everybody.”
Garcia might have a better resume than Spence and Crawford, but he has more losses than those two fighters combined. Furthermore, he’s already lost to Porter and Thurman. So, that puts him as the odd man out for this group. However, he’s still a big enough name that he could easily step in and take on one of these names if they don’t end up fighting each other.
This fight will tell us whether or not Garcia is truly ready to give it one more shot at the championship level of the welterweight division or if he needs to consider going back down in weight. If he struggles to defeat Granados or loses then Garcia’s days as one of the top guys in the welterweight division are over. However, if he can stop Granados then it would prove he’s still capable of contending in this division.
Can Garcia Make “Swift” Work of Granados?
Garcia declared that he’s prepared to go the full 12 rounds with Granados if he has to. However, he will be looking to finish off his opponent if the opportunity presents itself:
“So I’ve got to make sure that I’m 100 percent ready – like I am – and go in there and just dominate and control the fight like a true champion. I’m ready for 12 rounds. I’m ready to dominate him for 12 rounds. But if not, if the opportunity comes to land a big punch – or if he gets hurt and I can finish him – then I’d like to finish him.”
Garcia could really use a TKO/KO win this weekend. It will create some buzz and put him back into title contention. But, who would he face? Keith Thurman appears to be in line to face Manny Pacquiao this summer. There’s talk of Spence and Crawford or Spence and Porter fighting later this year. Garcia is going to be left on the sidelines waiting to see what happens after the dust settles.
That’s a problem for another day. This weekend, it’s all about putting on his best performance and taking out a gritty fighter. I believe Garcia is going to have a strong performance on Saturday. The only question is whether or not he will get the stoppage. Adrian Granados has never been stopped before in his career. So, I don’t see it happening this weekend. That means Garcia is going to have to dominate the rounds and win by a lopsided UD in order to really impress. I believe Garcia can accomplish this and will get back in line for a title shot.
Additional PBC on FOX Bouts
The following boxing matches are scheduled for the event. However, it remains unclear if any of these bouts will make the FOX broadcast portion of the night. More than likely most of them will be on the FS1 portion of the night. All betting odds are courtesy of 5Dimes.
Ricardo Espinoza Franco (23-2, 20 KOs) vs John Riel Casimero (26-4, 17 KOs)
- Ricardo Espinoza Franco (+180)
- John Riel Casimero (-240)
This fight is all about Casimero getting back into the title hunt after suffering a loss in September 2017 that derailed his momentum. Casimero is a former world champ in two divisions. However, he’s set his sights on the bantamweight division and is looking to regain some gold. JRC wants to take on Ancajas and other title holders in this weight class, but will need a convincing win this weekend in order to accomplish those lofty goals.
Casimero last fought two months ago in the Philippines for the first time in two years. And, his return home was a successful one as he defeated Yamashita via TKO in the 6th round. Prior to that, Casimero stopped Kose Pech in the 3rd round. Neither fighter was on the same level as JRC.
Ricardo Franco has won 13 straight fights and will be Casimero’s toughest test since his loss to Jonas Sultan and his win over Charlie Edwards. For Franco, this will be his toughest fight to date. He hasn’t fought anyone of Casimero’s caliber. He’s also never fought on this big of a stage before. Franco has won a regional title, but never a world title.
I’m actually surprised at how close these betting odds are. I believe the boxing betting sites got this fight all wrong. Casimero is a better fighter and a proven champ. He will win this fight most likely via UD.
Alfredo Angulo (24-7, 20 KOs) vs Evert Bravo (24-9-1, 18 KOs)
- Evert Bravo (N/A)
- Alfredo Angulo(N/A)
Alfredo Angulo was originally scheduled to take on Juan Ubaldo Cabrera and was a big betting favorite at -460 odds. Plans changed and Angulo will now take on Evert Bravo in a 10 round super middleweight fight. As of this writing, there are no betting odds listed for the changed matchup.
Angulo is in the final chapter of his career. He’s moved up in weight due to previous struggles with making weight. Despite his age and weight issues, Angulo embraces this division and believes he will have some success:
“When I first moved up in weight, it was just because I couldn’t make (the 154-pound limit) any longer,” Angulo confessed. “So, moving up to middleweight and then super middleweight, it was just fighting at a weight I never really gave myself a fair chance to (grow) into. For the first time in my career, I truly feel like a super middleweight. I notice it in my movement, in my punches. That comes with the type of discipline a great trainer like Abel Sanchez demands when you enter his gym. He has a strict itinerary, and it’s brought out the old Alfredo Angulo.”
That success will begin this weekend when he takes out Bravo. I expect the odds to be in Angulo’s favor and I don’t see there being any betting value for either fighter.
Joe Perez (14-3-1, 10 KOs) vs Ricky Lopez (20-4, 6 KOs)
- Joe Perez (+255)
- Ricky Lopez (-335)
This fight is actually tougher to predict than what the oddsmakers think. Both competitors come in on lengthy winning streaks and hope to use this fight as a stepping stone to bigger bouts down the road.
For Lopez, he is the betting favorite and is riding a 7 fight win streak. He also has 6 straight fights that have gone the distance. Only 6 of his 20 wins have come via KO/TKO. With that said, I doubt he will score a TKO/KO win this weekend. That means Perez has value because he’s the underdog and will most likely go the full distance.
Additionally, Perez has won 5 straight fights with his last loss being a narrow split decision back in September 2017. Neither fighter has held any reputable regional belt or even fought for one. Which also makes this fight tougher to predict. Perez has KOs in 10 of his 14 career wins. So, he has the advantage in power and he’s 3 years younger.
I’m going with the betting upset here and taking Perez to win via SD or UD. I believe he has the power to hurt Lopez and I also feel that the oddsmakers missed the boat on this fight.
Luis May (21-13-1, 8 KOs) vs Carlos Balderas (7-0, 6 KOs)
- Luis May (+1350)
- Carlos Balderas (-2775)
This fight is all about Carlos Balderas and his talents as a rising prospect. Balderas last fought two months ago and dispatched of his opponent. He has 6 wins via KO out of 7 and is poised to get another one this weekend.
Balderas is a massive betting favorite and it’s largely because his opponent is nothing more than a glorified sparring partner. Luis May has lost 3 straight fights and 4 of his last 5. His three fight losing streak also coincides with his three fights in the United States. Prior to that, he mostly fought in Mexico.
May has been used as a stepping stone for other prospects like Ochoa, Lebron and Slavinskyi. He will now be used as a stepping stone for Balderas. May was able to take it the distance with his three previous opponents. In fact, he’s gone the distance in 6 straight fights. He will be a tough out for Carlos. With that said, I believe Carlos will stop May in this fight and get the TKO/KO win.
Dwayne Bonds (3-1-1, 1 KO) vs Omar Juarez (2-0, 1 KO)
- Dwayne Bonds (+700)
- Omar Juarez (-1300)
Omar Juarez is the center of attention for this fight. At 19 years old, Juarez has been tabbed as a blue chip prospect with tons of potential. This will be his 3rd professional fight and his second bout on FS1. He’s facing an opponent who’s 10 years older and just fought last month.
There’s not much to say about Bonds other than he’s the underdog and doesn’t offer any entertainment or betting value for this fight. In fact, even Juarez didn’t have much to say about his opponent:
“I don’t know much about Bonds except that he’s an older fighter from El Paso who has recently fought. I’m going to press the action and dictate the pace. I’ll make adjustments as the fight goes on. I really want to make a statement by getting the KO. If I get him hurt, he’s going down.”
The only play for this fight is Omar Juarez. Unfortunately, there’s no value in his -1300 betting odds. Since it’s only 4 rounds, I believe Juarez will get the UD.
Final Thoughts on PBC on FOX Boxing Event
There are a few storylines for this event that interest me. First, I’m intrigued to see what will happen in the interim title fight with Figueroa. I believe it’s going to be a good night for the young fighter and it could be the statement win that he needs to secure bigger fights.
Next, I would like to see how Danny Garcia looks against Granados. This isn’t a cakewalk fight and it actually is tougher than the average fan thinks. Granados is gritty and has power. Garcia will be in a battle Saturday night. I want to see if Garcia still has what it takes to compete at the upper level of the welterweight division.
Lastly, I want to see the John Riel Casimero vs Ricardo Franco fight. I believe the betting odds offer value for Casimero and that the former two division world champ is going to light up Franco.
Adrian Granados Boxrec
Although this card has some entertainment and betting value, most eyes will be on the Terence Crawford vs Amir Khan fight this weekend. It’s a stacked PPV card with plenty of top-tier fighters looking to put on a great show.