By Miguel Maravilla
WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia (38-0, 30 KOs) is set to take on IBF undefeated lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr. (21-0, 14 KOs) in a unification bout this Saturday, July 28 at the Staples Center live on Showtime Championship Boxing. Fightnews.com caught up with the champ as he talked about his upcoming unification bout with Easter and his ambitions to becoming the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
“I am well prepared for this fight physically and mentally I am ready for whatever he brings. I am confident to come out with the victory,” Mikey Garcia told Fightnews.com®. “I will do whatever is necessary to win. If I have to get inside and brawl or if I stay and box on the outside I will catch him reaching in,” Garcia added.
Coming off a decision win over previously undefeated Sergey Lipinets this past March in capturing the IBF super lightweight title. Prior to that fight, he cruised through a decision win over the once-promising Adrien Broner.
“It was a tough fight Sergey is a tough fighter we were able to come out with the victory and add this win to my career to help my legacy,” Garcia on his last fight.
Garcia had a solid preparation in Riverside, California training with his brother multi-time Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia and his father Eduardo as they prepare for Robert Easter Jr.
“Camp was great, we had our preparation were ready,” Garcia on his preparation. “I have experience preparing with different style fighters. All of my sparring has been with all different styles so we can adjust and be prepared for whatever he brings,” Garcia added.
“We’re very well-prepared for this big challenge and Mikey is in a great place mentally. We had great sparring partners who prepared Mikey to be at his very best,” Mikey Garcia’s brother and trainer Robert Garcia said.
The IBF champion, Easter is coming off a tough split decision win over Javier Fortuna in successfully defending his title for the third time. Easter won the vacant IBF lightweight title in June of 2008 with a split decision over then-undefeated Richard Commey. Garcia will now look to unify in what should be a test against the taller Easter.
“Robert likes to exchange, he likes to fight. He is a fighter even though he is tall, he likes to get inside. I think he will try to box but he has that fighter instinct. His height and reach does create challenges but I have fought taller opponents. With my brother and dad training me I have a good strategy and technique. I am ready to do whatever it takes to win,” Garcia on Easter. “I want the best Robert Easter a lot of people criticize his last performance against Fortuna. I don’t quite see it that way I see Fortuna as a difficult fighter that complicates things but I still think Robert won that fight. It wasn’t his best performance,”
“There’s always risk in any fight. We’re very well-prepared for this big challenge and Mikey is in a great place mentally. Easter is a tall guy who I’m sure will try to use his reach and fight from the outside. But we’ll be ready for whatever he brings,” Robert Garcia on Easter. “We’re ready for the best Robert Easter,”
This fight will serve as a homecoming for Garcia. The last time he fought in Southern California was back in June of 2011 as he scored a knockout over Rafael Guzman at Staples Center. Since his last fight at Staples Center, Garcia has fought multiple times in the Lone Star State of Texas, with the majority of his fights taking place on the East Coast at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center.
“I’m very happy to be fighting again in Los Angeles. It’s been seven years since I fought here. I’m coming back to Staples Center as a world champion and I have a chance to unify in my hometown. There’s nothing better than I could ask for,” Garcia on returning to fight in Southern California.
Since then Garcia has become a four-division world champion, winning his first world title with a technical decision over the always tough Orlando Salido. He won his second world title with a knockout over then-undefeated Roman Martinez, capturing the WBO super featherweight title. Last year saw Garcia score a spectacular knockout over Dejan Zlaticanin, winning the WBC lightweight title. With his win over Lipinets in his last fight, Garcia won his fourth world title. On Saturday, Garcia continues his mission of becoming the best in boxing.
“I fought Orlando Salido when he was the best in the featherweight division. Then I moved up and fought a better undefeated Rocky Martinez, Dejan Zlatacanin who Linares avoided, Sergey Lipinenets another undefeated world champion. Now Robert Easter Jr. I don’t know if there is another fighter doing what I’m doing,”
Having been mentioned in the past for possible showdowns with Vasyl Lomachenko, Manny Pacquiao, and Erroll Spence. Garcia talked about his desire to fight the best, however, a move up to welterweight, it’s possible that he has bitten off more than he can chew but Garcia has always looked for the toughest challenge.
“It all depends whats out there. I am looking for the big attractive fights. Fights that the fans are asking for even if it means moving up in weight. These are challenges I’m willing to take on,” Garcia explained. “I would love to fight Lomachenko all he has to do is have Arum call me. I’m willing to sit and negotiate with any fighter. Realistically the best fight possible for me would be Errol Spence,”
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