Mikey Garcia Puts Crawford on Notice
After eleven months out of the ring, talented boxer Mikey Garcia (40-1, 30 KO’s) returned with bang. In the main event of a DAZN telecast, Garcia handily defeated Jessie “The Pride of Las Vegas” Vargas (29-3-2, 11 KO’s) to claim the vacant WBC welterweight diamond belt. Not only did Garcia not show any signs of ring rust, he displays no ill mental effects in his first outing since suffering his first professional loss to WBC and IBF world welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr (26-0, 21 KO’s).
BACK IN THE WINNERS BRACKET
When the bout began, it took a few rounds for Garcia to find his rhythm and range but once he did, the tide of the fight turned in an awful hurry. The Californian native managed to drop Vargas hard in the fifth round. After rising from the canvas, Vargas was never quite the same fighter.
Vargas would fight with pride and also heard the final bell. However, from the fifth period on, Garcia was clearly the superior competitor. Obviously Mikey Garcia was thrilled to get back into the winners column and finally find success in the welterweight division.
Garcia promised that he would show the boxing public that he did indeed have what it takes to be a major player at 147. One thing that did shine through with crystal clarity is the fact that Garcia does have rather impressive power for a fighter who recently jumped up in weight.
Garcia has previously held titles at featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight. Now he has shown that he has the pop to make a legitimate run for a title at welterweight. This is why it should come as no surprise that in the aftermath of the bout, Garcia called out some very big names.
“I think I performed very well, I was able to overcome those size disadvantages early on to show that I can be a solid welterweight. I already fought Errol [Spence Jr] and he’s probably the best welterweight and he was never able to hurt me and I think I can really do something at welterweight. I think I can become a champion within a fight or two. I’m ready to challenge for a world title.”
GARCIA WANTS CHAMPIONS INCLUDING CRAWFORD
There have been rampant talks that Mikey Garcia could fight WBA super world welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO’s) around summer time. The former four-division champion would love for this dust-up to be finalized. However, if it’s not meant to be, then Garcia let it be known he’s game for a knuckle-up session with WBO world welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (36-0, 27 KO’s).
“We’ve been talking about Manny [Pacquiao], maybe a rematch with Errol in the near future. So I think I am ready to go ahead and take that step. [When asked about his willingness to face Crawford] Sure, look, with me I am ready to fight anybody.
If Terence is available, we definitely would like to get in the ring with him. I think the bigger fights are there. Everybody would love to see me and Manny, so that’s the fight I would love to entertain. But I’m available and I’m here to fight anybody, I ain’t going to run from anybody. I ain’t going to just fight opponents, I’m going to fight the champions and he is one of the champions also.”
With his star in the division back on the rise, it will be interesting to see who Garcia does in fact pen a fight with next.
By: Bakari Simpson
