Peterson: Skills will be the difference against Garcia

Lamont Peterson is approaching his upcoming bout with Danny Garcia as if it were for the junior-welterweight world title (which it is not). Be that as it may, Peterson still believes a win here will make him the top guy at 140lbs.

"At the end of the day, I know belts mean a lot to the fans, but we're taking on the number one guy," Peterson would tell FightHype during a recent interview. "Everyone considers Danny Garcia to be the number one guy. So at the end of the day, you're fighting the best guy in the weight class. I think that means more than a title; the WBC or the IBF or any of the belts. I think the boxing fans will understand, recognize, and embrace it and go with it".

The belts mean a lot to the fans? I'm guessing Lamont hasn't spent much time with the fans here on BLH who openly deride the belts on a near-daily basis. As far as this bout taking place at 143lbs when it should be at 140 and expecting the fans to embrace it - again - the man clearly doesn't stop by our comments section. 'Go with it,' yes, because we have little other choice, but 'embrace it,' surely not.

It's abundantly clear that Danny Garcia has long left the 140lb division, though he still manages to hold on to that belt, and Peterson himself cannot help but wonder what awaits him at the welterweight division.

"It seems like there's too much action going on up there for me not to think about it. I would definitely love that move. Likely it will be the next move for the next fight. But first we have to deal with Garcia and win this fight," said Peterson.

"I just know Danny is a solid fighter. I expect a tough, competitive fight. When you're fighting an undefeated fighter, they don't want that first loss, so I expect him to compete all the way through," explained Lamont.

"Skills will be the difference. I can fight many different ways. I have the skills to fight inside and I have the skills to box. It's about choosing one and showing my skill level at whichever one I do.

Despite the challenge ahead of him in Garcia, Peterson wouldn't rate Garcia as his toughest opponent to date...

"I'm not really sure. In boxing, styles make fights, so I won't say that he's the toughest fight to date. It will go down as my biggest victory probably. But as far as if I think it will be my toughest fight? No," Peterson said.

I don't know about ya'll, but I'm really looking forward to Garcia's next fight at 144lbs, because I've always inwardly wondered who would be numero uno at that arbitrary weight limit. Maybe Danny can literally fight 10.29 stones for a new shiny belt.