By Ryan Burton
Mikey Garcia (37-0) put on a virtuoso performance Saturday night to defeat Adrien Broner (33-3), who had been undefeated at 140 pounds, via unanimous decision. The fight took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and headlined a Showtime doubleheader.
Prior to the fight Garcia said that he would likely move back down to the lightweight division where he holds the WBC title.
He had mentioned names like WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares, who also holds the WBC emeritus title and WBO super featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko, who has made noise about moving up in weight, as possible future opponents.
Linares (42-3) has told BoxingScene.com several times that he wants to face Garcia and wasted no time in reiterating his desire to face the three-division champion sooner rather than later.
"Now it's my turn Mikey Garcia. Soon we will make the biggest fight at 135 pounds. Blessings, champion," Linares said to his social media followers in Spanish immediately after Garcia's victory.
Linares must first take care of business on September 23rd at The Forum in Southern California in an HBO televised main event against the once beaten Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell.
Linares feels confident in his ability to dispatch of Campbell, because he believes the British boxer lacks the experience to compete at the top level.
Garcia wants to fight in December, according to his older brother and head trainer Robert Garcia. He's only willing to come down in weight for Lomachenko and Linares, but if those fights are not available then he will stick around junior welterweight for he possibility of facing the winner of next month's unification between Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo - and if that's not available then he's willing to explore the possibility of heading up in weight to the welterweight ranks.
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