Two-division world champion Philadelphia's Danny "Swift" Garcia (33-1, 19 KOs) vs. former world champion Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios (34-3-1, 25 KOs) of Oxnard, California by way of Garden City, Kansas was officially announced Tuesday afternoon as a press conference was held at the Conga Room at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. Garcia and Rios will square off next month Saturday February 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas live on Showtime.
Danny Garcia:
"Its a classic fight between boxer puncher vs. brawler,"
"I feel great. I needed the time off to spend time with my daughter and watch her grow. I feel I needed that time off to be rejuvenated,"
"2018 is time for me to pick up where I started. This is a new chapter in Danny Garcia career to start 2018,"
"I feel good and strong. I just have to be Danny Garcia,"
Brandon Rios:
"I am ready for 2018 to give everyone a new Bam Bam Rios. Everyone knows my style and I come to fight. I am going in balls and heart out. I want to show that I am still a top contender,"
"To be the best you have to fight the best. Danny Garcia is a former champion and I will fight anyone,"
"I feel good and rejuvenated. My body needed that rest. I've been in wars, they took a toll on my body,"
"I will show everyone that I still belong here,"
Robert Garcia:
"It's a hell of fight. I go way back with Danny since the amateurs we have seen his success. Brandon is training hard and doing what he has to do to come out on top,"
Also in attendance at the press conference was WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez (19-0, 7 KOs) of Phoenix and Romania's Ronald Gavril (18-2, 14 KOs) as they will square off in a rematch and will be the co-feature bout.
David Benavidez:
"I feel like I won the first fight clearly. Gavril thinks he's going to come and knock me out now, but if he has so much confidence, he should have done that in the first fight. I'm training extremely hard right now to go in there and tear him up,"
"I have to make a statement on February 17. I'm leaving Mandalay Bay with the belt on my shoulder. I have to get the knockout and that's what I'm looking to do,"
"I didn't overlook Gavril the first time. I knew he was a contender and he came in tough and ready to fight. I know his style now so I'm going to go to work getting better. There were a lot of things I should have done in the first fight. I'm going to take advantage this time,"
Ronald Gavril:
"I'm really happy to be here and be in this position for a rematch. I want to thank David Benavidez for agreeing to fight me. I thought that I won the first fight so I knew I wanted this immediately. I earned this rematch,"
"I'm only thinking about David Benavidez right now. I'm putting everything into this rematch and getting the belt. When I win, the rest will take care of itself,"
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