Mikey Garcia: record, next fight and profile →
Mikey Garcia became the 10th lightweight champion to unify the division with a unanimous decision against Robert Easter Jr. Saturday on SHOWTIME, and immediately afterward set his sights on boxing’s best, namely Errol Spence Jr.
By Keith Idec - LOS ANGELES – Robert Easter Jr. deemed Mikey Garcia overrated before their fight Saturday night. The former IBF lightweight champion might feel a little differently now. Garcia dropped him in the third round and soundly defeated Easter in a lightweight title unification fight that drew an announc...
Lightweight world champions Mikey Garcia and Robert Easter Jr. went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference two days before they enter the ring for a 135-pound title unification Saturday, July 28 live on SHOWTIME from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
It might not be the best fight one could ask for at lightweight but, for now, it’s the best we’re going to get and that’s plenty. Mikey Garcia returned from over two years off and picked up where he left off. He might even be better. He’s won four straight since returning in 2016, adding titles at lightweight and Jr. welterweight. Heading into the weekend, he’s even saying he has his eye on welterweight Errol Spence for later in the year.
LOS ANGELES – Kevin Cunningham didn’t divulge too much about Robert Easter Jr.’s game plan for his fight against Mikey Garcia. But what’s obvious to Cunningham, Easter’s new trainer, and most others who’ve watched Easter’s last few fights is that the unusually tall lightweight must make better use of the height and reach advantages he has over his opponents. Garcia is five inches shorter than the 5-feet-11 Easter and will need to find a way inside his opponent’s eight-inch reach advantage to have success in their 12-round, 135-pound title unification fight Saturday night at Staples Center (Showtime; 10 p.m. ET).
The selective Mikey Garcia avg'd 49.4 thrown per round (10 less than the wgt. class avg.) and landed 44.6% of his power shots. He amassed a +9.5 plus/minus rating, landing 31.4% of his punches to just 21.9% for his opponents.
LOS ANGELES – Kevin Cunningham still can’t figure out how Robert Easter Jr. does it. Cunningham told Easter before he even turned pro that he shouldn’t attempt to fight at the lightweight limit. There was no way, Cunningham figured, that the 5-feet-11 Easter could get down to 135 pounds.
LOS ANGELES – Mikey Garcia didn’t mention Vasiliy Lomachenko’s name Thursday, but Garcia still delivered an unmistakable message. Garcia believes that by beating Robert Easter Jr. on Saturday night he’ll establish himself as boxing’s best lightweight. Many media outlets and fans think that distinction belongs to Lomachenko, who won the WBA lightweight title by knocking out Jorge Linares in the 10th round of their May 12 fight at Madison Square Garden.
This weekend, the WBC lightweight titlist Garcia (38-0, 30 KO) is a prohibitive favorite after some recent struggles by the IBF titlist Easter (21-0, 14 KO). Perceptually, while Easter is a good, solid fighter, Garcia is seen as one of a handful of the genuine elite. Could the thinking be as off this weekend as it was last? Could this turn out to be a classic few saw coming? Only one way to find out; at the least, two talented guys are risking their titles for a chance to be more champion than they were coming in.
Former four division world champion Mikey Garcia (38-0, 30 KOs) is one of the few fighters who refuses to have a promoter. Garcia has been a free agent since 2016, when he officially reached an agreement to part ways with Top Rank. Leaving Top Rank was not easy. Garcia waged a two year legal battle, which kept him away from the ring throughout the entire process.