Danny Garcia's Fight with Samuel Vargas Is Really All About Keith Thurman

Danny Garcia doesn’t live in a bubble.

He’s heard much of the criticism thrown his way by fans and media since the October announcement of his Saturday fight with Samuel Vargas (from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike TV).

Most expect the fight to be a non-competitive showcase that. It will serve little purpose beyond keeping Garcia active while he prepares for a much bigger unification showdown with Keith Thurman early next year.

This fight is all about activity. It’s about staying sharp. You can rightfully argue about the selection of opponent, but the purpose is clear.

Some fighters seek to answer every shred of criticism, but Garcia doesn’t let it bother him. He remains focused on his goals and understands the love-hate relationship of this business.

“At the end of the day, you got people who love you and you got critics. I really don’t care about the critics, to be honest,” Garcia told Bleacher Report. “I came into this sport to win world titles and make money, and that’s what I’m doing.

“If that’s not enough, I can’t worry about that. I’m going to go out there and give the fans a great fight. Everything else will come. It’s a part of the sport. I can’t name one athlete that never got criticized.”

Garcia and Thurman will meet March 4, with the WBC and WBA Welterweight Championships on the line. That’s one of the biggest fights in a crowded 147-pound division looking for a kingpin following the retirement of Floyd Mayweather last September.

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Vargas is a journeyman fighter who doesn’t figure to provide too large an obstacle in the path of that fight. He’s won five straight over nondescript opposition since prospect-level Errol Spence blew him out in April 2015.

But you can’t take anything for granted in a sport where fortunes change with just one punch.

“It was a team decision [to fight Vargas]. I wanted to be active. I didn’t want to go 14 months without fighting. He’s a tough, quality opponent. The most important thing was to be active going into a big fight,” Garcia said.

“Every fight is dangerous, so you’ve got to prepare yourself. It depends on how hard I train. I’m in great shape. I’m ready. I feel strong. I’m not overlooking nobody. Come Saturday night, I’m gonna go in there, and the fans are gonna see the best of Danny Garcia.”

The fight has allowed Garcia to do something positive for the local community in his hometown.

The bout—which will take place on the campus of Temple University—has been built around charitable work to benefit the less fortunate in the city of Philadelphia.

That’s a universal good, regardless of what you think about the matchup.

Garcia and team have partnered with Philabundance, a local hunger-relief organization, to help provide food to needy residents. Each ticket sold will include a $10 donation to the organization. The fighter has done meet-and-greet events that encouraged fans to donate canned goods.

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So maybe the impending Thurman fight—along with the objectively good work Garcia is doing to provide meals to those in need (each ticket donation will buy 20 meals)—will temper some of the criticism.

Perhaps it will calm the waters that have been roiling and frothing with anger and disappointment over the past several months. Bouts with potential foes Andre Berto, John Molina and Sam Eggington never materialized, causing ill will.

Maybe fans will forgive Vargas—the worst of that lot—and maybe they won’t.

But Saturday night’s fight isn’t about Garcia and Vargas.

It’s about Garcia and Thurman.

Garcia can’t afford to look too far into the future—a loss would unravel it. But it’s not possible to completely push a big fight like that out of your mind. He plans to take care of business against Vargas and then move on to the next one.

“It’s exciting for the sport [the Thurman fight]. It’s a fight the fans wanted. I have a chance to unify the division, but I’m focused on November 12,” Garcia said.

“To me, it’s just another fighter with a name that I have to go in there and beat. It’s nothing like any other fighter with a name who I fought. I just gotta go in there and win.”

All quotes obtained firsthand.