Getty Danny Garcia (L) is expected to get the better of Jose Benavidez Jr.
Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia is a heavy favorite to make a triumphant return to the ring when he faces Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday. Swift hasn’t fought in almost 20 months, but he’ll still be the more accomplished of the two fighters when the bell sounds for this 12-rounder at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The fight card (9 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on Showtime. But if you don’t have cable or don’t have Showtime, here are some different ways you can watch a live stream of Garcia vs Benavidez online for free:
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Amazon Prime’s Showtime Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch all live and on-demand Showtime content via Prime Channels. You can try both Amazon Prime and the Showtime Channel at no cost with a free trial right here:
Watch Showtime on Amazon Prime
Once you’re signed up for the Prime Showtime Channel, you can watch Garcia vs Benavidez live on the Amazon Video app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
FuboTV
Showtime is available as an add-on to FuboTV’s main 100-plus-channel package. Both the main channel bundle and the Showtime add-on can be included in your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Garcia vs Benavidez live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” Showtime is only available in the “Premier” package or as a separate add-on to another bundle, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Garcia vs Benavidez live on the AT&T TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
Garcia vs Benavidez Preview
Much of the tale of the tape actually favors Phoenix resident Benavidez. He’s the taller of the two fighters by a couple of inches and has a reach advantage of almost three inches, per BoxRec.
Benavidez is also four years younger than his 34-year-old opponent and weighed in a pound heavier, according to Joseph Santoliquito of The Ring Magazine. Santoliquito also noted how Benavidez “is coming off an eight-month layoff and is 1-1-1 over his last three fights, which includes falling by 10-round knockout to WBO welterweight titlist and pound-for-pound entrant Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford in October 2018.”
Where Garcia has the edge is in experience. He’s chalked up 270 rounds in 39 fights, compared to the 29 bouts fought by Benavidez. Like his opponent, Garcia’s also not coming into this fight with any momentum, having lost to Errol Spence Jr. by unanimous decision back in 2020.
Overall, Garcia has performed at a higher level, having held the WBC light welterweight and welterweight titles among others. Yet, the veteran has a lot to prove in the super welterweight division, with Benavidez claiming his opponent doesn’t measure up, per BoxingScene.com’s Keith Idec: “I feel like he’s too small. I’m the bigger fighter, the stronger fighter.”
Fortunately, Garcia had no problem coming in under the 154-pound limit, per SHOWTIME Boxing:
Maintaining his punching power at the heavier weight shouldn’t be a problem for a fighter with 21 knockouts on his record, although not everybody is convinced. Among the doubters, Patrick Stumberg of SB Nation’s Bad Left Hook thinks Garcia’s “power will struggle to raise the fear he requires for his low-output style to work” at this weight.
Garcia needs to prove Stumberg wrong if he’s going to use the step up in weight as a necessary new lease of life for his career. History isn’t on his side because things didn’t end well for Garcia the last time he moved up a weight class.
His setbacks were detailed by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger: “while he has victories over Paulie Malignaggi, Robert Guerrero and Brandon Rios at 147 pounds, his campaign in the division was highlighted by close decision losses to Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, along with the Spence fight in which he wasn’t competitive.”
The defeat to Spence is something Garcia is determined to avenge before he’s done fighting at 154:
Swift sees himself running it back with Spence at junior middleweight 👀 #GarciaBenavidez
There’s enough motivation for Garcia to put on a show against Benavidez, who lacks the pedigree of his more battle-tested and illustrious opponent. If Garcia doesn’t force a stoppage somewhere around the eighth or ninth rounds, expect Benavidez to be on the wrong end of a unanimous decision after things go the distance.