Comments Thread For: Mikey Garcia to Keep IBF 140-Pound Title, Baranchyk Bout Ordered

[chrisJS]

Mikey Garcia has informed the IBF that he'll keep its junior welterweight title. Garcia's decision, according to an ESPN.com report Friday morning, means he'll have to make a mandatory defense of the 140-pound championship he won from Sergey Lipinets on March 10 against Ivan Baranchyk. The IBF ordered the Garcia-Baranchyk bout Thursday, once the Springfield, New Jersey-based sanctioning organization received word from Garcia that he intends to remain at 140 pounds.
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[M Bison]

He's informed the WBC he's keeping his IBF 140-pound title instead.

Source Dan Rafael ESPN.

I think this is a mistake... 135 is definitely where he is strongest, I don't think he has the power at 140 to hurt anyone.

[E-Thug]

All that talk about unifications, Easter, Lomachenko and Linares and he does this

[chrisJS]

I think this is a mistake... 135 is definitely where he is strongest, I don't think he has the power at 140 to hurt anyone.

I don't think he wanted to be fighting Lomachenko at all. He always seemed dismissive of that fight and his brother talked about in 4 years. WBC would have enforced it and Top Rank would have won the bid.

I don't think he intends to unify 140 either. I think grab a title here or there perhaps trying for Mattheyse's WBA belt so he can say "5 weight champ".

This is not a good look for him especially in the light of claiming to want unifications at 135.

[Ghost Rider]

If he plans on moving up to 147 one day then it's a good move. He needs to get used to fighting bigger guys.

Too bad those cowards Lomaputa and Linares ducked him.

[_Rexy_]

I don't see how this is big news, we've known he was moving up to 140 for a while now.

[bigdunny1]

And this is why Linares was smart not to wait and to sign the fight with Loma. He waited all last year as Mikey TWICE refused to face Linares which the WBC mandated the winner of Mikey/Dejan to do after their fight. Mikey requested WBC give him special permission to fight someone else other then his mandatory not once but twice and had not defended the WBC belt in over a year. Hell hadn't even fought at 135. Since he won that belt he's fought strictly in another weight class 140. He's only fought once his entire career at 135 that was for belt that belonged to Linares (who was the true WBC champ) and 3 of his last 4 fights were all at 140.

I don't think for a second Mikey is afraid of Linares and would beat him if they fought. But he's been screwing around with this belt since day 1 and shown no interest of ever fighting again at 135. Not only has he been fighting at 140 he's been talking about moving up to 147 for the last 6 months. Once he turned down the Linares fight in dec and turned down the Easter fight to grab a paper belt at 140 I knew he was never coming back to 135. And linares knew it too so he jumped on the Loma fight. If the winner of Loma/Linares ever fights Mikey they will have to move up and it will be at 140. You not seeing Mikey ever again at 135.

[WallabeeKing]

Finally, WBC lightweight title isn't being held hostage anymore. WBC probably the worst sanctioning body. Jose Ramirez needs to fight Prograis now but Mikey can just sit on the lightweight title for over a year.

[DuckAdonis]

He's avoiding Lomachenko 100%

Told you guys before

He could have stayed at 135...unify with Easter and fight The Linares-Lomachenko winner but...

[RussB23]

Much better fights at 135. It seems like he doesnt want to fight lomachenko