Mikey vs. Loma won't happen - And it's not Top Rank's fault

The numbers for Mikey's recent fight with Robert Easter just came out, and like all his other fights on Showtime (minus the Broner fight), it produced pitiful numbers. He's been fighting on the network for two years now and has failed to break out. It's very obvious that the Broner fight was an outlier and generated the views because of Broner, not Mikey. Keep in mind, Wilder does at least 1M on all of his fights on Showtime, so you can't play the low subscriber card anymore. The reality is that Mikey is not as big of a star as he, and his team, think he is. Which brings me to the potential Lomachenko fight, and why the fight won't happen. Last week, Mark Kriegel interviewed Mikey for ESPN, which can be found here: http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/24183862/why-mikey-garcia-mexican-american-superstar He asked Mikey about the Lomachenko fight, and reminded him that the fight is the most lucrative for him, Mikey's response says it all: Dollar for dollar, however, he knows the fight is Lomachenko. "He's a champion at 135. I'm about to unify the title at 135. But different promoters, different networks ... He brings the most -- more than Crawford, more than Spence -- less risk, more money." So what's the problem? I remind him that Jorge Linares, promoted by Golden Boy, pushed hard to make his fight with Lomachenko. "I wouldn't let Bob dictate all the terms after leaving his company," he said. "Linares gave up all his leverage in negotiation. ... He had to go to New York, fight on an ESPN show, under a Top Rank banner." It didn't exactly spell doom for Linares' career. He fought on national television in Madison Square Garden. In fact, even after losing, Linares is bigger than he ever was. And he deserves it. He bet on himself, not a promoter. Still, I can't help but wonder, if Linares could knock down Lomachenko, what would Mikey do? "I'm not saying I could only fight on Showtime, but I wouldn't want Top Rank to be in charge of those decisions," Mikey said. "I'm not an 'opponent.' I don't believe I should be treated as an opponent." He pauses for a moment. "Would Lomachenko come to me?" That right there tells you all you need to know. Bob Arum was right, Mikey is beyond delusional. He thinks he's a bigger star than he is. That's why Top Rank cut bait with him. But the numbers say otherwise. In this situation, with his pitiful numbers, he's not the ASide fighter but he thinks he is.

Comments (20)

Let Spence fight Crawford Bob Arum said that he won't make Spence vs Crawford until it can sell more than 500k PPVs. So forget about that. It is yet another fight that is being cockblocked by Arum.

7y ago

DuckAdonis

He definitely isnt...if he decides to fight spence. That mismatch can potentially ruin the best fight in boxing..Loma vs Mikey. Let Spence fight Crawford

7y ago

Luilun

That's faulty logic though, because you could just as easily say that if Linares had no problem crossing networks, than Lomachenko should have no problem crossing networks. Mikey Garcia has a lot more leverage than Linares did. Mikey Garcia is being paid a lot more than Linares was. Mikey is undefeated and unified champion. Linares had one belt and several losses on his record. Mikey is a major headlining A-side for Showtime now. Linares was struggling to get HBO dates as HBO's budget was evaporating. ESPN pays more than HBO, but Showtime pays more than ESPN. Can't blame Mikey for the fight not happening if TR takes the position that everything must be 100% TR's way. Why would Mikey agree to that? That'd be like blaming Lomachenko if Mikey's position was that everything must be PBC's way. Chill out dude I was just cracking a joke I support MIkey when he fights

7y ago

eco1

Maybe he needs to fight May 5th or September 16 week ends wearing a Somberro with Vicente Fernandez music cause if you have low numbers that means the Mexicans from Mexico are not watching your fights Perdón, pero en qué sitio de España estás?

7y ago

McNulty

But what about all those ppv buys with Spence doe? I mean, the man is licking his chops for all that ppv paper!!!

7y ago

Mike_D

a grown man scared to turn pro and in his 2nd pro fight we found out why lol. Shut the f**k up, dude :rofl: :rofl: F**king Mikey was fighting a fighter with a 12-40-4 record in his 9th professional fight lmfaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :rofl: :rofl:

7y ago

EdWins

The numbers mikey and easter generated are actually solid, I don't get what you mean by pitiful? Sure broner might have brought in more views in their fight but these numbers are not bad at all.

7y ago

Barristan

This isn’t the first time TR has been an impediment to a big fight happening...a lot of guys just don’t like doing business with them.

7y ago

Real_King_Kong

He isnt targeting Loma anyway so I dont get this thread Loma is exactly who he should be targeting tho.

7y ago

boxinggod101

396-1 amateur record. Consecutive Olympic gold medals. World title in his 3rd professional fight. 2 time world champion in his 7th fight. Three DIVISION champion in his 12th fight. A candidate for the world's best pound for pounder boxer on earth today. If that's a coward...jesus christ. That's a pretty impressive resume for a "coward". You trying to talk some sense into a groupie ear. Dont lose ur time. Mikey a god and Loma a coward.

7y ago

UNBIASED_BOXING

a grown man scared to turn pro and in his 2nd pro fight we found out why lol. And yet, 12 fights in his professional career and he's already rated higher than Mikey P4P on everyone's list who matters and he also a 3-division champion. You should change your name. You're making people who are fans of both fighters going to attack Mikey when they defend Loma.

7y ago

Linares didn't seem to have a problem with it, if you asked Easter I bet he wouldn't have a problem with it either. That's faulty logic though, because you could just as easily say that if Linares had no problem crossing networks, than Lomachenko should have no problem crossing networks. Mikey Garcia has a lot more leverage than Linares did. Mikey Garcia is being paid a lot more than Linares was. Mikey is undefeated and unified champion. Linares had one belt and several losses on his record. Mikey is a major headlining A-side for Showtime now. Linares was struggling to get HBO dates as HBO's budget was evaporating. ESPN pays more than HBO, but Showtime pays more than ESPN. Can't blame Mikey for the fight not happening if TR takes the position that everything must be 100% TR's way. Why would Mikey agree to that? That'd be like blaming Lomachenko if Mikey's position was that everything must be PBC's way.

7y ago

TonyGe

Loma a coward and has no intrest in fighting Mikey, he team has said it, top rank match makers have secretly told boxing insiders they are not intrested in Mikey that mikey will ko him. So spin it all you want, the numebrs can be a trillion for mikey and lomachenko and top rank will never be interested. Nothing but weirdo names and rematches for lomachenko. Frankly I think the the rumors concerning Top Rank insiders is nonsense.

7y ago

deanrw

You provided zero evidence that it's not Top Rank's fault. Mikey is saying he wants the fight, but he doesn't want to be jerked around and lowballed. Ring TV link https://www.******.com/540477-bob-arum-on-making-vasiliy-lomachenko-vs-mikey-garcia/

7y ago

Mike_D

Loma a coward 396-1 amateur record. Consecutive Olympic gold medals. World title in his 3rd professional fight. 2 time world champion in his 7th fight. Three DIVISION champion in his 12th fight. A candidate for the world's best pound for pounder boxer on earth today. If that's a coward...jesus christ. That's a pretty impressive resume for a "coward".

7y ago

ShoulderRoll

You provided zero evidence that it's not Top Rank's fault. Mikey is saying he wants the fight, but he doesn't want to be jerked around and lowballed.

7y ago

R_Walken

So Mikey and the hordes of other PBC fighters are not good enough that people subscribe to Showtime? I gotcha. Yeah that’s it How about this Mikey avg as many viewers fighting Easter on Showtime as Loma did when he fought Marriaga on Espn which has 4x as many subscribers If Mikey’s #s are pitiful what the f.ucj does that say about Loma

7y ago

Phenom

Garcia is on level with Loma in terms of draw power if not bigger

7y ago

TheCell8

This thread makes no sense. Mikey is open to the fight if TR doesn't try to control everything, which means the fight only won't happen if TR tries to control everything. In which case, it's TR at fault, not Mikey. No reason Mikey vs Loma can't be a joint SHO/ESPN PPV. Linares didn't seem to have a problem with it, if you asked Easter I bet he wouldn't have a problem with it either.

7y ago