25 months. That’s how long the fans had to wait for Danny Garcia to make a return to the boxing ring. But the former unified light welterweight champion is back into the fold of boxing, where he plans to do what he does best—put on a show for the fans. However, the question remains. Does he have the hunger anymore to excel at the biggest stage?

Garcia, 36, fights for the WBA middleweight title against Erislandy Lara at T-Mobile Arena on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga bill. Not only is he sharing the undercard with the Mexican champion, but he is also looking at him for motivation. After all, the zeal to fight fades away a bit when you have spent decades putting your body on the line. But for Garcia, at 37-3, fighting is “passion.”

In a conversation with Fight Hub TV, the former two-division champion addressed these concerns about the motivation to keep on fighting, churning out favorable results, and going for a gold strap. While he admitted he was no longer as hungry as he was when he started, he was still passionate about it. Garcia said, “I always had the passion for fighting. I’m a fighter. That’s what I do. I’m a boxer. Am I hungry as I was when I first started? Of course not, nobody is!”

Then ‘Swift’ cited Alvarez, 34, as a yardstick, who had achieved everything, yet continued to fight. He put himself in the same shoes and continued, “You think Canelo is as hungry as he was when he first started? He probably won’t have to box ever again.” However, Garcia disclosed they were both fighting still because they loved fighting. The Philadelphia native added, “But he is here. Why? Because he loves boxing. Why am I here? Because I love fighting. At the end of the day, you do what you love. It’s not about money.”

Some fans and critics will point out Garcia’s inactivity and ring rust, which might trouble him against Lara. He has only fought once in the last 4 years. It evokes concerns and weakens his case for the championship, but the orthodox boxer believes he is doing better after the layoff.

Danny Garcia cautions Erislandy Lara to be watchful

In a conversation with TMZ, Garcia revealed that he was feeling “better than ever.” He felt rejuvenated, and throwing shade at his critics, he declared, “I can tell you one thing, they ain’t Danny Garcia.” In addition, the boxer expressed his determination to stop Lara’s juggernaut and his KO streak.

Garcia announced, “If he thinks he gonna knock me out, he better keep his eyes open ’cause he might get knocked out.” It remains to be seen how the fight will pan out between Garcia and Lara, as both boxers are in the limelight phase of their careers, and a loss here could effectively mean the end of the road for them.

What do you make of this comment by Danny Garcia? Do you think he has what it takes to win a title in the third division? Let us know in the comments below.