Unbeaten welterweight Dusty Harrison, of Washington, D.C., has completed a day of sparring on Thursday with undefeated Philadelphia junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia, who is preparing for a Feb. 9 defense opposite ex-titleholder Zab Judah at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Trained by his father, Buddy Harrison, Dusty Harrison (11-0, 7 knockouts) is the 18-year-old, nearly 6-foot son of an Irish father and a Puerto Rican mother.

A 24-year-old Philadelphia junior welterweight who is also trained by his father, Angel Garcia, and is also of Puerto Rican descent, Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs) is coming off October’s fourth-round stoppage of Mexican icon Erik Morales.

“Dusty is sparring Danny Garcia,” said Buddy Harrison. “We spent yesterday in Philly and Team Garcia treated us great. Angel and Danny both are very down to earth.”

A boxer since the age of 6, Harrison went 167-30 as an amateur, earning titles in the National Golden Gloves in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and winning more than 50 regional and national championships.

Harrison’s last fight was a first-round stoppage of Darrell Jones on Dec. 8 that marked his third straight knockout victory.

In his pro bouts he has always fought orthodox, though his father says that helping Garcia prepare for Judah’s southpaw style will be a benefit to his son.

“Dusty is not a southpaw, however, he has been flirting with it for years,” said Buddy Harrison. “He always gets a few rounds as lefty while shadow boxing, mitts, heavy-bag and sparring. So he will remain as a southpaw while in camp with Danny. Hopefully, Dusty will one day feel very comfortable fighting either way.”

“He will then be even more unpredictable than he already is. You never know what Dusty is going to do next. He will box, he will slug it out. One second he’s throwing flurries, the next he’s banging to the body. Now he’s switching from lefty to a right-handed like that’s the way it is supposed be. It’s like watching Fred Astaire dance, and I’m loving every minute of it.”

Photo by Juan Marshall

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]