Mikey Garcia Still Eyes Fifth World Title
While Mikey Garcia has abdicated the WBC lightweight championship, the popular four-division world champion isn’t sure if he wants to walk away from it entirely.
“I haven’t officially made that decision yet that it’s done,” Garcia (39-1, 30KOs) told Fox Sports’ Kate Abdo, although indirectly referring to his status as WBC Champion Emeritus. “Mauricio (Sulaiman, WBC President) and I still have to discuss some options.
“The last thing I want is to vacate the title. But I don’t plan on fighting my next fight at 135. So, what he told me was that if I choose to fight at a different weight class, that someone else will fight for my title.”
Winning the title in January 2017, when he knocked out Dejan Zlaticanin, Garcia would only defend the title only once in that time, defeating Robert Easter Jr. in 2018 in a title unification fight.
Following his March loss to Errol Spence at welterweight, Garcia sat down with members of the WBC to look at what would be next for the Oxanrd, California native. One thing Garcia knew was that he was not ready to commit to a fight with mandatory opponent, Luke Campbell.
“That’s just the way it is. That’s pretty much what I did. I said that I can vacate the title,” Garcia said. When asked if a fight with Vasyl Lomachenko would interest him, Garcia admitted that he’d be willing to fight at 135 pounds for that. “That’s why it’s hard to say that I’m definitely done (at lightweight). For the moment, we are… for the moment.
“My next fight will not be at lightweight, which is why we vacated the title.”
“I want to fight big fights,” Garcia insists. “If I can get another title shot next, I would do it. It’s probably not gonna happen, but I would definitely jump on another title opportunity. At this stage of my career, the experience and level of fighter I believe I am, I don’t believe I need tune-up fights.
“I don’t need to return to 10-round fights against journeymen. I don’t feel like I need that. I want to use this time as an adjustment to compete at the welterweight division. I do want a fifth world title, in a fifth division.”
As for when and where Garcia will fight, he told Abdo, he’s not sure yet. “I want to see what is available at 140 and 147, but I do know I want to pursue another title at 147. We will what’s available. We have to explore those options. My next fight could be at 140. But I do know that I want another title shot at 147.”
Initial Report: Boxing Scene