By Victor Salazar
New York - If there’s two fighters who have some sort of connection without ever fighting each other, it may be Mikey Garcia (36-0. 33 KO’s) and Terence Crawford 31-0, 22 KO’s).
While Garcia was still under the Top Rank banner in 2014, he was slated to face Yurioirkis Gamboa (26-2, 17 KO’s). The fight between Garcia and Gamboa fell though and Crawford stepped in - and pulled off a career-defining performance by knocking out Gamboa. The outcome helped Crawford become a rising star in the sport of boxing.
Fast forward three years later, Garcia is a three division champion below Crawford who campaigns at 140 while Garcia is at 135. Garcia will move up in weight on July 29 when he takes on Adrien Broner (33-2, 24 KO’s) at junior welterweight, in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
Mikey's trainer and older brother, Robert Garcia, can definitely see a fight down the road with Crawford - should Garcia be victorious and Crawford remains fighting at 140.
“Crawford is definitely the best 140 pounder and a pound for pound guy,” Robert Garcia told BoxingScene.com. “There hasn’t been much talk about Crawford but more of Lomachenko and Pacquiao but Mikey wants to fight the best.”
All three of the fights Robert mentioned would be with fighters that are under the Top Rank banner, Mikey Garcia’s former promoter. Mikey was out of the ring for two years because he wanted out of his contract with his former promoter. The trainer does not see that as an issue for Mikey.
“I have fighter signed with Top Rank and I'm signing fighters with Top Rank,” stated Robert Garcia.
"I think Top Rank is willing to work with us and Mikey if the fights are big enough. [Top Rank CEO] Bob Arum doesn’t hold grudges if the fights are big enough. All three are Top Rank fighters and it would have to be one at a time. If a big fight calls with Crawford, we’d do it. But I think Top Rank is smart and they rather do Pacquiao-Garcia first and if Mikey is able to beat Pacquiao [then] I think the Crawford fight is that much bigger.
Crawford returns on August 19th, when he faces Julius Indongo in a high stakes unification with the IBF, IBO, WBC, WBA, WBO world titles at stake.
Mikey Garcia remains a promotional free agent and his brother sees no reason why that should change.
“It’s working for Mikey and he’s still getting big fights like now with Broner. It also gives us the opportunity to work with Bob Arum and different promoters. But right now Mikey’s getting big fights without a promoter, so why would we sign with a promoter?," Robert Garcia said.