By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Mikey Garcia will sit ringside Saturday night to watch Josesito Lopez challenge Keith Thurman for a welterweight title.

Mikey Garcia’s older brother, Robert Garcia, won’t occupy his usual position in Lopez’s corner. Robert Garcia, Lopez’s head trainer, made a previous commitment to attend a quinceanera, a traditional birthday ceremony for a 15-year-old girl, before the Thurman-Lopez fight was scheduled.

Eduardo Garcia, the father of Mikey and Robert Garcia, instead has made the cross-country trip with Lopez (36-7, 19 KOs, 1 NC). Eduardo Garcia, who most notably trained Fernando Vargas toward stardom, helped Lopez prepare to challenge Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC) and will serve as Lopez’s chief second for their 12-round main event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“It’s not an issue,” Lopez said during a press conference Thursday at Barclays Center. “In training camp, we train in a family atmosphere. So, I’ve got the boxing guru, Mr. Big G, here with me, around me. And we might have a little surprise for you come this weekend, with some virtual image of my trainer, Robert Garcia.”

Lopez appreciates how Robert Garcia has helped shape him into a better, smarter fighter than he was when Andre Berto stopped him in the sixth round of their March 2015 fight in Ontario, California. Eduardo Garcia also has been present throughout Lopez’s transformation at the Garcias’ gym in Riverside, California, Lopez’s hometown.

“Robert Garcia, he’s basically my chief second,” Lopez said. “Big G, he’s there in the gym. But he doesn’t really work anyone’s corner, and I feel special that he’s out here today. Because he’s only with Mikey Garcia, man, and it’s really an honor to have Big G in my corner. Extra motivation, and like I said before, he’s a boxing guru, man, and when he speaks, you soak in everything you can. He gives you that extra push, that extra feel that you need.”

The 34-year-old Lopez has won three straight fights since Berto beat him. In his last bout, Lopez upset previously unbeaten prospect Miguel Cruz (then 17-0) by unanimous decision in a 10-rounder April 28 in El Paso, Texas.

“Overall, he’s a good fighter,” Lopez said of Thurman. “He’s a good boxer, he moves good, he can punch. But I also think I’m a good fighter and I’ve gotten better throughout the last couple years. So, I think that those that haven’t really stayed in touch with my last fights will be in for a surprise.”

The Thurman-Lopez fight will headline a “PBC on FOX” tripleheader set to begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

In the opening bout, Mongolia’s Tugstsogt Nyambayar (10-0, 9 KOs) will encounter the Dominican Republic’s Claudio Marrero (23-2, 17 KOs) in a 12-round fight for the vacant IBO world featherweight title. The following fight will feature Polish heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki (18-0, 14 KOs), who’ll battle Gerald Washington (19-2-1, 12 KOs), of Vallejo, California, in a 10-rounder.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.