Mikey Garcia Would Like To Make a Stop at Lightweight Before 140 and the Bigger Fights

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This Saturday, January 25th, Mikey Garcia (33-0 28KOs) returns to Madison Square Garden since he captured the WBO Featherweight Title there a year ago from Orlando Salido, when he takes on Juan Carlos Burgos (30-1-2 20KOs) for Garcia’s WBO Super Featherweight Title. MSG has long been regarded as the Mecca of boxing and because of the fans Garcia is willing to fly three-thousand miles from his home in California for the opportunity to fight there.

“Historic fights have taken place there and I just want to make sure the fans see a good show and remember watching me fight in that arena.  They are real boxing fans there.  They are not just there to watch the main event.  They are there to watch the whole night of boxing.  That’s what is great about being in New York.  And boxing is alive and it’s great and I am really happy to be back.”

This past November Garcia relinquished the WBO Featherweight title then proceed to stop Roman “Rocky” Martinez in the eighth round, snatching up the newest belt to add to his collection. For years fans have talked about the potential Garcia has shown, and it should not come as a surprise that he is on the cusp of making a case to be a top pound for pound fighter. With the Super Featherweight division devoid of serious threats to Garcia and his reign as Champion; to prove himself, Garcia will have to eventually move up. Fights that await him are clashes with Yuriorkis Gamboa and possibly a mega fight with Manny Pacquiao. Garcia wants to move one weight class at a time.

“We’d have to look at the top fighters in the next weight class and if I do that I have to grow into the weight class.  I would like to unify the titles before moving up but if there is something better at 135 then I will go there.  Then I can unify the titles there or move up to 140 if the right fight is there or what options are available.  It’s not easy to put a fight together and in this business you’ve got to look at everything before you can move up in weight class.”

Garcia continued to comment about moving up in weight. “I would have to make a fight at 135 before moving up to 140.  I feel that 135 would be a very good division for me and I think I can do something in the lightweight division.

Regardless, if you create a pound for pound list on paper or if you rank the fighters unofficially in your imagination, Mikey Garcia is a clear candidate at the very least to be an honorable mention. Although Garcia thinks he is currently one of the top ten fighters in the sport, he understands that in order for the fans to accept this ideal, he will have to convince them.

“I do feel I am at least a Top 10.  I’m just starting as world champion and I still have a lot to prove.  I had some good fights last year but I am just here to do my job.”