Garcia, Peterson eye showdown not megafight winner

Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson are more concerned with deciding light-welterweight global bragging rights next month than their spots as possible future foes for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather megafight winner.
Rival 140-pound (63.5kg) world champions Garcia and Peterson will meet April 11 in New York at a catchweight of 143 pounds, so neither US fighter's titles will be risked when they determine who rules the light-welterweight ranks.
"We know what this fight means," Peterson said Thursday. "I just want my shot at that crown, belts or no belts."
Unbeaten Mayweather and Filipino icon Pacquiao to meet May 2 in a long anticipated welterweight showdown expected to shatter boxing revenue records and decide pound-for-pound global supremacy after five years of waiting for fight fans.
Unbeaten Garcia, 29-0 with 17 knockouts, and Peterson, 33-2 with one drawn and 17 knockouts, both said the welterweight division is in their future plans, but each played down the idea the winner between them would be in line to move up and face the Pacquiao-Mayweather winner.
"I'm not focused on that. Maybe in the future," Garcia said on the eve of his 27th birthday. "It's always a fighter's dream to fight Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. That's always a dream, to fight the best, but right now I'm focused on April 11."
Peterson, who grew up homeless on the streets of Washington, figures Mayweather will retire after his six-fight television deal expires with only one bout after May.
"I'm not worried about fighting Floyd Mayweather at all," Peterson said. "That's a longshot for me. He maybe has one more fight after this. I'm not focused on that."
Garcia owns the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns while Peterson, 31, holds the International Boxing Federation title he took from Britain's Amir Khan in 2011 and controversially kept after a positive steroid test that scuttled a planned Khan rematch.
"I just feel like it's my time," Peterson said. "All the setbacks, you learn from them. Everything is put together at the perfect time. Everything is right on line."
- No titles, no problem -
Garcia's trouble making the 140-pound limit forced the higher weight limit and took the titles off the table, but it could hint at a jump to welterweight by the summer.
"With or without the belts, it's still going to be a great fight," Garcia said. "I've been at 140 since I was an amateur in 2006. I've put a lot of strain on my body making the weight. I'm not saying I can't make 140 again but with the time off since August I don't want to cheat the fans."
Garcia stopped Argentina's Lucas Matthysse in the third round in 2013, the same year the South American stopped Peterson in the third round. But Peterson says those results offer no hint about how he with fare against Garcia.
"It makes no difference," he said. "You notch it up different ways against different fighters. It never makes any sense."
Garcia, who has owned at least one world title for five years, says beating Peterson is more important than world-title wins over Khan, Erik Morales and Zab Judah among others.
"This is even bigger for my legacy," Garcia said. "He is a champion. He has faced great opponents too. Every fight I've had in my career has led me to this. I've got to go in there and make sure I take care of business."
Source: AFP