Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez are the main attractions of "The One" this Saturday, but there is an under-the-radar bout on the card worth the price of admission on its own.
WBA super world and WBC light welterweight champion Danny "Swift" Garcia (26-0, 16 KO) and Lucas "The Machine" Matthysse (34-2, 32 KO) would serve as a main event in their own right were they not shoved onto the card containing what may be the fight of the decade.
Alas, that makes the program as a whole that much better, and Garcia and Matthysse are poised to have a memorable match as a preview of what is to come between Money and Canelo.
Here are the things to know and why fans should be paying close attention when Garcia and Matthysse step into the ring.
Tale of the Tape
Why Garcia vs. Matthysse Is Worth Price of Admission
Danny Garcia isn't the biggest name in boxing, but he's well on his way as one of Golden Boy Promotions' rising stars, taking the WBC Title from Erik Morales back in March of 2012.
Lucas Matthysse is five years older and has been in 10 more bouts than Garcia, but the real reason he's so popular among fans is he's no tactician. He's a brutal fighter who goes into each match looking for an early knockout.
Matthysse has knocked out 32 opponents—in 34 matches.
Both Matthysse and Garcia play two very similar styles that make for some highly entertaining boxing. This isn't like the main event where Mayweather will hang back and play defensively while Canelo seeks a knockout—both Matthysse and Garcia will be going full speed ahead in an offensive manner.
With both swinging for the fences, Garcia vs. Matthysse is the type of style that will bring even more fans back to the sport.
Prediction
Writing off Garcia because of Matthysse's overwhelming numbers would be a huge mistake.
Garcia steamrolls the opposition as Matthysse does, with the only fighters that trouble him being the ones able to avoid his big punches.
That's certainly not Matthysse's game, so whoever has the stronger counter game and chin is going to emerge victorious.
With that in mind, Garcia is at an advantage. Matthysse has made quick work of second-rate opponents, but he's never had to deal with a quality champion. Garcia will be able to survive the brutal shots from Matthysse that typically down other fighters, and as a result Matthysse will be forced into unfamiliar territory.
The inverse is also true. Matthysse has never taken huge shots from a powerful fighter like Garcia before, so how he reacts to getting tagged early by a powerful counter could throw a wrench in his entire strategy and demeanor.
While the popular consensus may be Matthysse coming out on top because of his dominant showings in the past, Garcia is more experienced and has been here before. He'll overcome the odds and score a knockout victory.
Follow B/R's Chris Roling on Twitter for more news and analysis @Chris_Roling
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