Tag: Mikey Garcia

Mikey Garcia joins forces with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN

Mikey Garcia has agreed to a deal with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN, and is expected to return to the ring on Feb. 29.

Mikey Garcia celebrated a birthday Sunday with an announcement that he has a deal with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN that will include his return to the ring on Feb. 29.

Garcia, now 32, did not disclose the terms of the deal or who he will fight, although multiple media reports indicate that former junior welterweight and welterweight titleholder Jessie Vargas is a leading candidate.

“I am happy to announce my return to the ring for February 29,” Garcia said in a statement. “I am eager to make my return and grow my legacy. I look forward to working with Matchroom Boxing USA and DAZN, and I want to thank all my fans for the continued support. Fight details will be announced soon, and I can’t wait to be back in the ring.”

Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs) hasn’t fought since he jumped up to welterweight and lost a one-sided decision to Errol Spence Jr. on March 16 at AT&T Stadium, the Dallas Cowboys’ home field in Arlington, Tex.

Garcia has held belts in four divisions – featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight. He was leading pound-for-pound contender before the Spence loss.

The younger brother of veteran trainer Robert Garcia had been a free agent since he and former promoter Top Rank agreed to split in April 2016.

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Garcia are expected to talk about the deal at a news conference Wednesday in Los Angeles.

“I’ve been talking to Mikey for over a year now, and I’m so happy to welcome him to the team,” Hearn said. “Mikey is a standout star, and I’m looking forward to working with him on big fights moving forward. He will return to the ring on Feb. 29, and we will be announcing the opponent and venue shortly.”

Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas? A few thoughts on that concept

Does talk of a fight between Mikey Garcia and Jessie Vargas on DAZN mean Manny Pacquiao plans to fight Danny Garcia?

A welterweight fight between Mikey Garcia and Jessie Vargas for the first quarter of next year has been discussed, according to The Athletic. The fight would be streamed on DAZN.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who works with DAZN, has been courting Garcia for some time in hopes of signing him to a multi-fight deal, The Athletic reported. If he’s successful, a meeting with Vargas could kick off the relationship.

Two takeaways from that report:

One, Garcia told me a few years ago that he had no interest in signing a long-term deal with anyone after his relationship with then-promoter Bob Arum soured. Garcia sat out 2½ years waiting for his contract with Arum to end and become a free agent.

Of course, things change. The guaranteed money might be too tempting to resist now for whatever reason. We’ll see.

Two, Garcia has been mentioned as a possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao. I’m guessing that Pacquiao has decided to keep it in the PBC family and fight the other Garcia, Danny, a legitimate 147-pounder who might be seen as a more legitimate threat than Mikey. Mikey Garcia is coming off a one-sided loss to Errol Spence.

Again, we’ll see.

Floyd Mayweather is a wildcard. If he’s serious about a comeback, a rematch with Pacquiao would be a bonanza for both fighters. Pacquiao certainly would jump at the opportunity.

Would Mayweather, 42, really risk his perfect record? Doubtful. Exhibitions or another “fight” against an MMA star, maybe; a sanctioned boxing match, no.

That said, “Money” loves money. Anything is possible.

Manny Pacquiao could be back in the ring ‘in March, April’: report

Manny Pacquiao said he could fight again this Spring, with many possible opponents.

Manny Pacquiao hopes to return to the ring early next year during a break from his duties as a Filipino senator.

Pacquiao told the Manila Bulletin Sunday that “he can fight in March, April.’’

Pacquiao’s hopes for a spring bout re-ignited speculation about his opponent. In a political season, the senator, who will be 41 on December 17, has more aspiring opponents than he might have running mates or rival candidates in his oft-rumored plans for a run at the Filipino presidency.

The list appears to be led by Danny Garcia and Mikey Garcia. Danny Garcia had been in line to fight Errol Spence Jr. after Spence’s decision over Shawn Porter on September 28 in Los Angeles. But it’s not clear what’s next for Spence after he was thrown from his Ferrari in a scary crash in Dallas on Oct. 10.

Meanwhile, Mikey Garcia has not fought since jumping up in weight and losing a one-sided decision to Spence in Dallas on March 16.

Not on the list – not yet, anyway – is Keith Thurman, who lost a split decision to Pacquiao for a welterweight belt on July 20 in Las Vegas.

Thurman disclosed in mid-September that he underwent surgery on his left hand after the bout. Pain in the hand bothered him throughout the fight, he said. The surgery was a bone fusion. He said he would not be able to fight until next year.

Thurman, who battled back from a first-round knockdown, turned the next 11 rounds into a back-and-forth battle that ended with Pacquiao winning 115-113, 115-113 and 113-114. It was a heck of a fight.

“I would love the rematch,’’ Thurman said then.

If the hand heals in time for March or April, Thurman figures to say much the same thing as speculation mounts about who’s next for Pacquiao.

Also, not on the list is Terence Crawford, perhaps the best welterweight on the planet. But that’s not exactly a surprise. Crawford is a Top Rank fighter, Pacquaio is a Premier Boxing Champions fighter and – blah, blah, blah – never the twain shall meet.