This Tonight WBA/WBC super lightweight champion from Philadelphia Danny “Swift” Garcia and IBF champion Lamont “Havoc” Peterson of DC meet at Madison Square Garden. Once again Peterson is fighting another champion in “another non-title bout!” The last time he did it he got knocked out in May of 2013 by then WBC champion Lucas Matthysse who was later defeated by Garcia. Both Garcia and Peterson are promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

There are four major organizations which water’s down the contenders in some of the groups. I’ve reached out to the WBC, WBA and IBF for reasons why Garcia and Peterson get passes on defending their titles. They only have to defend their titles twice a year with one against the No. 1 or interim champion. So what’s the big deal?

Garcia is a good boxer but got out boxed by Mauricio Herrera in March of 2014 in Puerto Rico but was given a loss by majority decision. The same Herrera last month was once again denied the victory against Jose Benavidez of Phoenix, AZ, for the WBA interim title. Now Benavidez is allowed to defend in May against Jorge Paez who isn’t even in their rankings. Garcia hasn’t defended his title in thirteen months. In August he won a non-title fight over lightweight Rod Salka who in his previous fight came in at 131 and was made to come in over 140. When I asked Garcia who made that decision he told me “my manager” who is Al Haymon.

Peterson last defended his title in August of 2014 stopping his No. 15 contender Edgar Santana. So why isn’t he being forced to defend his No. 1 contender Cuenca? Though at a post-fight in Atlantic City last year when I questioned Golden Boy Promotion’s owner Oscar De La Hoya he agreed with me that Garcia and Herrera should have been re-matched and Peterson should fight Cuenca.

The No. 1 contender in the IBF is unbeaten 47-0 Cesar Cuenca of Argentina who won an elimination match and was asked to step aside and was to be on the undercard of the Garcia-Peterson match but isn’t. Viktor “The Iceman” Postol the No. 1 WBC from the Ukraine is on the undercard.

It looks like Garcia is being lined up to enter the welterweight division and meet the winner of Mayweather and Pacquaio after their May bout with three titles WBA Super, WBC and WBO on the line. Question is when are the organizations going to enforce their rules and make their champions live by them?

Please send all questions and comments to Ken Hissner at: Kenhissner@gmail.com