What’s Left of Erislandy Lara?

Erislandy Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) finds himself in a co-headliner spot versus Danny Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) this September 14, underneath Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga.

The 41-year-old Cuban is in such a lofty spot, almost by default, as the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) roster seems pretty slim and/or unavailable at the moment.

Still, this is as big of an opportunity as Lara has seen, arguably, since he lost a close, disputed decision to Alvarez in 2014.

The skilled southpaw has mostly flown under the radar for the last decade or so, competing at about a once-a-year clip, deep inside undercards while headlining a smallish show here and there. It was a great plan to extend his career and a way to work around the fact that most of the top dogs in his weight range would’ve preferred jumping into a wood chipper than to fight him.

As this writer stated in the official PBC preview for Lara vs. Jarrett Hurd back in 2018:

“The American Dream” Lara…is a wizard. The Cuban master boxer pokes and prods with shots while utilizing off-putting angles to control both time and distance in the ring. And when his opponent is confused, off-balance, and tentative—he strikes.

Sharp and accurate, his punching power is underrated and, for his foe, it’s utterly jarring—like a bolt of lightning through thick fog. Then there’s a tactical retreat, throwing the other fighter off-kilter again and setting the stage for a return to the Cuban’s high-level games of pace and space.”

Although Lara would come up short on the (very close) scorecards against Hurd, he put up a hellacious battle and debuted the new-look Erislandy Lara– one who was now more fighter than hard-to-target boxer.

Sporting a record of 5-0-1, with 4 KOs since then, Lara now stands his ground more, utilizing angles over movement and loading up on the punches he more sparsely throws. It’s a strategy shift born out of necessity for a boxer who is leaving his physical prime further and further behind.

The end, however, comes for all fighters. Lara, new fuel-efficient ring style or not, is approaching his end. At this point in his career, every bout runs the risk of being that “one fight too many” fight, where a once great athlete looks like he’s aged twenty years overnight.

The former junior middleweight champ and current WBA middleweight champ is now staring down legacy and looking to end his career with as many defining moments as possible.

“I feel I’ve done a lot in this sport, and a win versus Danny Garcia will add another big triumph against a former world champion,” Lara said via press release. “I’ve fought the best and have never turned down an opportunity to fight anyone. My goal is to one day be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and I’m going to keep working to reach it.”

Garcia’s value as a legacy-defining opponent, though, may be in name alone. The 36 year-old former 140 and 147 lb. champion has only fought once– an uninspiring majority decision win over Jose Benavidez Jr. at 154 lbs. in July of 2022– since losing a unanimous decision to Errol Spence in December of 2020. He now, somehow, finds himself competing for a 160 lb. title.

Truthfully, beating Garcia is only valuable to Lara as a payday and as a way to add a vanity name to his resume. It’s debatable whether a victory over this version of Danny Garcia, at this weight and at this stage of his career, would carry any more weight than the second-tier opposition Lara’s been blasting through in recent bouts.

As for the matchup, itself? It’s intriguing…in an abstract sense. Like, ok, they’re pitting two of the better fighters of the 2010s against one another. It kind of makes sense, sort of. Kudos to the PBC matchmakers for creative thinking and for making the most with what they have.

But, realistically, Lara-Garcia isn’t a high-end fight of any real consequence.

That doesn’t mean that Lara won’t be gunning for en emphatic victory on September 14. The clock is ticking for him and he appears focused on making indelible memories.