Whoa Lil Bro
Yesterday reports surfaced of an interview WBC Lightweight champion Mikey Garcia done in which he discussed his future and who he has desires to fight. Garcia, who has a fight coming up at 140lbs, mentioned that he would like to move up to the welterweight division by the end of this year or definitely next.
His trainer and older brother Robert Garcia was asked later what he thought of his fighter’s desires.
“I think Mikey will eventually move up in weight. And like a lot of other fighters who move up in weight, sometimes it’s not really because they are too big for their weight division and they have to move up – its because of the business and their skills are good enough to compete at a higher division,” Robert Garcia explained to Boxing Scene
“We have fighters who have won titles in five or six divisions and it was because of their skills…. Oscar De La Hoya did it, Mayweather, Pacquiao, Cotto. It’s not because they were that big – its because of their skills. And I think that Mikey will eventually be able to do that.”
The younger Garcia didn’t stop at just talking about going to welterweight, he also mentioned that he would like to face the best guys in the division. He specifically said he would actually like to face IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. Robert Garcia isn’t as gung ho about that desire however.
“I think right now I think it would be a mistake to go right out there and challenge Errol Spence. Spence I think is the best fighter in the division. He’s very strong, very talented. I think we have to take it easy on that fight.”
“Mikey might be able to beat a few welterweights – but if we pick the right welterweights Mikey might be able to compete in that division. It would have to be the right welterweight and not Errol Spence. But if at the end of the year Mikey decides to make that move (to fight Spence), then we are going to support him and train him to do everything that he could do to beat him, but I personally would not push for that fight.”
Garcia took some criticism yesterday on social media from fans and such for the statements and the fact he said he would rather fight Spence than Vasyl Lomachenko. Many accusing Garcia of the infamous “D” word when it comes to Lomachenko, while others said they’re tired of him “talking” about fighting the bigger names only to see him face a lesser foe.
In reality a move up to face Spence is hardly a “duck” move. In fact that’s the exact opposite. Now whether we actually see a fight between the two take place is a different conversation.
Garcia is currently set to face IBF junior welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets on March 10th in San Antonio. A win would give Garcia a world title in his fourth weight class.
By: Chris Henderson
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