Danny Garcia: I should have been a P4P fighter a long time ago

We're just a couple of days away from the epic showdown between Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero, a fight which will crown one man as the new WBC welterweight champion. The fight airs live at 8pm EST on FOX from the Staples Center, putting Garcia squarely in prime time in front of a national audience.

Looking forward to this opportunity, Garcia says that recently becoming a father has only made him more driven, although he was worried it might soften him up.

"I have a child now so I have to be a lot smarter in and out of the ring," Garcia said. "It has changed me. I can't take unnecessary punishment, because I know protecting my future protects her future. It's all about acquiring assets and getting out there more. I think that's what this fight will do for me (on national TV).

"This will be the first time I'll be fighting as a father. It makes you think differently. At first, I was worried this baby girl doesn't make me weak, thinking about her all of the time. Now I'm motivated even more than I was before. I never try to think too deep. This makes me think deeper."

If it all works out the way Garcia would like, he'll fight three times this year and plenty of good opponents await him in a loaded welterweight division. In the meanwhile Garcia expresses some frustration that he doesn't get his just due -- wondering why he's not rated in the top 10 pound-for-pound ratings despite having been widely recognized as the top rated junior welterweight for three years.

"I really don't know what it is," Garcia said, shaking his head. "With boxing, there's a lot of politics in the sport. It's just people (in the media) whoever they like, they rank you. I was the junior welterweight world champion for three years. I defended my title five times, and in two of those fights, I was the underdog.

"To me, I should have been a pound-for-pound fighter a long time ago. So I'll keep trying to prove myself at 147 and once I win a title, there's nothing else really to say. I don't pay attention to those things, but when I see things (like the pound-for-pound ratings), I wonder how some guys are where they are. I don't understand. A lot of those things are bulls-t."

If Garcia really wants the stature of being considered a top pound-for-pound fighter, he's at the right place at the right time. There's plenty of great competition for him at 147 and if he reels off a couple wins against some other top welterweights, he'll could be well-established on that list in no time flat. But considering his current career trajectory, he's not going to get there by beating middling talent.