By Keith Idec
Mikey Garcia was more than willing to jump up two more weight classes to challenge Miguel Cotto.
Garcia was not willing, however, to sign a multi-fight agreement with Cotto’s promoter just to get in the ring with the Puerto Rican legend. The unbeaten WBC lightweight champion issued a series of Tweets on Monday to address why he turned down a proposed 154-pound fight against Cotto on December 2 at Madison Square Garden.
The 36-year-old Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) instead will face welterweight contender Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) in what is supposed to be the final fight of Cotto’s Hall-of-Fame career. HBO is expected to televise their 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBO super welterweight title.
Garcia initially Tweeted: so fight only came by signing to gb. not bad but im doing better on my own.
The 29-year-old Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs) has worked without a promoter since he resumed his career in July 2016 following a dispute with former promoter Top Rank Inc. that kept him out of the ring for 2½ years.
The Oxnard, California, native also Tweeted: why not cotto only and no further commitment? I would have taken it if it was Cotto only.
Garcia took exception to criticism that he publicly discussed facing Cotto just for publicity by Tweeting: nothing personal just business. i understand. im ok with it. just don’t try and make me look like a coward or all talk type guy and making me sound like im all talk. i would take Cotto by itself. or cotto linares only. but gb said they cant do that.
After soundly defeating Adrien Broner (33-3, 24 KOs, 1 NC) in a 12-round, 140-pound bout July 29 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Garcia also is interested in moving back down to lightweight for a showdown with Jorge Linares. The WBC ordered a Garcia-Linares fight during its convention last week, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their lightweight title unification fight will happen next.
Linares is the WBC’s “diamond” champion at 135 pounds and owns the WBA world lightweight title. Garcia is the WBC’s world lightweight champion.
In reference to facing Linares, Garcia Tweeted: i can get linares by wbc orders. and im working on some fights with promoters just not long term or multiple fights vs ???
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.