Danny “Swift” Garcia is closing the book on his fighting career. The Philly star, a two-division world champion and long-time Barclays Center mainstay, will take on Danny Gonzalez this Saturday, October 18, in what he’s calling his “Farewell to Brooklyn.”
For Garcia, this isn’t just a fight — it’s a goodbye to the arena that helped shape his legacy. Nearly 13 years ago, he headlined Barclays’ first main event, flattening Erik Morales and stamping his name into New York’s fight history.
The King of Barclays Bows Out
“When they first called to say I was gonna be main event at Barclays, I was excited,” Garcia recalled. “It was something new, so I didn’t know what to expect. When it was sold out, that was it — history. I was nervous walking to the ring, but I felt strong. Nothing could stop me.”
And for a long stretch, nothing did. Garcia went 7–2 at Barclays, a record no fighter has matched in that arena. Ask him for his favorite moments, and he doesn’t hesitate: Erik Morales, Zab Judah, Keith Thurman.
“My favorite fight at Barclays Center was probably Erik Morales, because I knocked him out,” Garcia said. “Also the Zab Judah fight — that was a hell of a rivalry. The Keith Thurman fight too because it was unification and a huge fight.”
Brooklyn Rivalries and Bad Blood
That Judah fight still gets mentioned whenever Brooklyn boxing comes up. It wasn’t just punches — it was hostility and pride, fueled by Angel Garcia’s mouth and the tension in every press conference.
Angel remembers it well: “The Zab Judah performance was your best performance because of everything that happened leading up to the fight. We went back and forth at the press conference — I told him to ‘take off that Janet Jackson hat.’ It kicked everything off. They tried to pop up on us at Modell’s. They wanted to kick my ass. Everywhere we went, they popped up. Danny handled it in the ring.”
That was prime Brooklyn — loud, gritty, and personal. Garcia thrived in that kind of chaos.
The Final Chapter
After strong wins over Rod Salka, Lamont Peterson, and Paulie Malignaggi, things got tougher for Garcia. He came up short in two close fights — against Keith Thurman in 2017 and Shawn Porter in 2018 — but showed he still had plenty left with solid outings versus Ivan Redkach and Jose Benavidez Jr.
Now, he’s bringing it full circle — ending his career in the same place his Brooklyn story began.
“My favorite thing about the fans is the atmosphere and the love,” said Garcia. “I appreciate all the years that the fans have supported me. Come out on Saturday night one last time — I’m gonna give you a hell of a show.”
End of an Era
Garcia’s farewell isn’t about records anymore — it’s about respect. From Morales to Thurman, he’s fought everyone that mattered. Now, as the lights hit Barclays one last time, Danny “Swift” Garcia will do what he’s always done: give the fans one more fight worth remembering.