By Steve Kim
While promoting his upcoming bout against IBF junior welterweight titlist, Sergey Lipinents, Mikey Garcia has made it clear that he would be willing to move back down to lightweight to face WBA 135-pound belt-holder, Jorge Linares.
And what's Linares reaction to this?
"Hopefully he does but until we see it, a signed agreement, then we'll believe it," said Linares, through his manager Jose De La Cruz, earlier this week.
But, Linares is not ruling out the possibility of heading up in weight to chase down a fight with Garcia
"The reality is that we might go up to 140 and fight him. Then what's going to be his excuse?" added Linares.
Garcia (37-0, 30 KO's) in his last bout on July 29th defeated Adrien Broner in a junior welterweight contest at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. Now he faces Lipinets for the IBF 140-pound strap at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas as the headliner on Showtime.
With two fights in a row in the junior welterweight division, some believe Garcia will never return to the lightweight ranks - although he asked the World Boxing Council to hold on to his WBC title - a request the sanctioning body approved.
The WBC actually issued an order a few months, which directed Garcia and Linares to fight reach other. Because Linares has the WBC's Diamond title, he is the mandatory challenger to Garcia's belt.
Linares (43-3, 27 KO's), who is currently the WBA lightweight champion, is scheduled to face Mercito Gesta on January 27th at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Back on September 23rd at the Forum he narrowly out-pointed Luke Campbell with a twelve round split-decision in the main event of an HBO televised card.
One possible backup plan for Linares is a potential rematch with Campbell in the UK.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.