Could it be Danny Garcia‘s one last hurrah before he finally hangs up his gloves? After an almost two-year hiatus, Garcia will enter the ring to face WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara on September 14 as the co-main event on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga fight card. “I wanna be a three-division champion. Two is good but three is a whole different legacy. That’s why I want this Lara fight. It’s the fastest way for me,” Garcia said in one of his interviews. But in the last couple of years, Garcia has fought quite sparingly.

Since his bout with former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence in 2020, he has fought only once. There was a two-year break between his fight with Spence and Jose Benavidez Jr. After defeating Benavidez Jr. in 2022, he revealed the reason behind his absence from the squared circle for such a long period. “I did take a break, going through mental things. I went through some anxiety, depression, I was just trying my best to stay strong,” a visibly emotional Garcia said.

The 36-year-old fighter, who came from poverty, had to overcome a lot of challenges to get to where he is now. The pressures of being in a cut-throat industry like boxing and familial responsibilities had taken a toll on him. Speaking candidly about his mental health struggles, Garcia further stated in the post-match interview, “It was the pressure of life, the pressure of boxing, being a good dad. I’m just letting it out right now because it was stuck inside, it rained on me for a year and a half and the only way to get better is to fight and to win, and I’m a fighter, it’s what I do and love to do. If you battle anxiety and depression, you can get over it, that’s what I did tonight. I came here to pour my heart out. ”

Reliving the cathartic moment he had following the fight with Jose Benavidez Jr. in 2022, during Suicide Prevention Month, Garcia further reiterated the importance of seeking support if anybody is going through mental health issues. ” It is September suicide prevention month. I just want to let you know that if you’re having suicidal thoughts or going through mental problems, speak to someone you love.”

Furthermore, Garcia stated that sharing your mental health concerns with others could make you feel less “alone.” “Many people go through this. Just tell somebody how you feel. They might tell you how they feel and you might feel a lot better. Try to surround yourself with people you love,” he said in conclusion.

Meanwhile, in a previous interview, Garcia set his priorities straight while expressing his motivation to keep fighting.

Health before the fight legacy!

Garcia has been picking and choosing his fights over the last few years. He has achieved many accolades in boxing and is now living a comfortable life for which he is very grateful. Therefore, the next thing that he wants is a graceful exit from the professional boxing scene, with his physical health intact. So, is he thinking about retirement anytime soon?

“I wouldn’t say that I’m thinking about retirement but I wanna be healthy when I leave,” Garcia told FightHub TV. But he wants to be the champion one last time before he plans to retire from boxing.

The two-division champion hasn’t been able to get his hands on any championship belt for around seven years. He tried his luck, battling it out against elite champions like Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter but failed to restore his former glory.

Therefore, the fight with Erislandy Lara will be crucial for him as he looks to become a three-division champion. He will be making a jump from super-welterweight to middleweight to face the WBO champion.

Do you think Danny Garcia can defeat Erislandy Lara? Moreover, do you think Danny Garcia will retire after the Lara fight? Let us know in the comment section below.