Robert Garcia: I Want Mikey-Loma, But Spence is Easier To Make

/

Boxing Scene - 8/30/2018 - By Miguel Rivera

Robert Garcia, the head trainer and older brother of IBF, WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs), would love to see his brother in a unification with WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Mikey is hoping to move up by two weight division, to the welterweight limit of 147-pounds, to challenge IBF world champion Errol Spence.

Mikey has captured world titles at featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and junior welterweight.

But Robert would rather see his brother take on other opponents - with Lomachenko being at the top of that list.

The fight Lomachenko is very difficult to make, because the two-time Olympic gold medal winner fights exclusively on ESPN - while Mikey is aligned with Showtime. Regardless of the money involved, Lomachenko is not fighting on a network outside of ESPN.

And the fight that Mikey likes is a clash with current WBA "regular" welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao.

There have been some discussions with Pacquiao's team, and the fight could be a lot easier to make since the Filipino star is promotional free agent and not tied to any network.

Robert does admit that a clash with Spence is the easiest to make of the three. Spence fights on Showtime - and both he and Garcia have a working relationship with powerful adviser Al Haymon.

"I would like Lomachenko first, it's a very big fight, he's regarded as one of the best in the world, very smart, fast, calculating and difficult and it was a good challenge for Mikey in Lightweight, that was the ideal fight for me," Robert Garcia told ESPN Deportes.

"After that, it's Manny Pacquiao. There are possibilities of that fight right now, now that he's free of his contract. And then there is Spence, but I think the easiest fight to do is with Spence... the two work with Al Haymon, they have the support of Showtime and it's probably the one we will see."

Rances Barthelemy: I Want Mikey Garcia in My Next Fight

/

Photo courtesy of Sean Michael Ham / Premier Boxing Champions

Boxing Scene - By Boxing Clever

On March 10 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, two-division champion Rances Barthelemy (26-0, 13 KOs) will look to become the first Cuban boxer to ever win world titles in three different weight classes when he faces Kirly Relikh (21-2, 9 KOs) in a rematch.

Barthelemy won a controversial decision over Relikh last May.

This time around, the Showtime televised fight will have the vacant WBA super lightweight title will be at stake.

In the main event of that card, Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs) will attempt to make history by capturing a world title in a fourth weight class when he challenges IBF junior welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets (13-0, 10 KOs), who is making his first title defense.

Barthelemy wants to unify with Garcia next - provided that both of them win that night.

"A fight with Mikey Garcia is something I want. I'm completely focused on this fight against Relikh and making history, but I would be prepared to fight Mikey Garcia soon," Barthelemy said.

Barthelemy promises to make things right in the upcoming rematch, after getting dropped and looking very flat in the first encounter.

According to the Cuban boxer, his boxer felt weak in the contest and there wasn't a lot of energy in his legs for the full twelve rounds.
 
"I'm going to change a lot heading into the rematch. Last May I wasn't myself. I didn't feel like I had my legs coming into the fight and I wasn't able to perform how I usually do. This time my conditioning and nutrition is much improved. I'm going to use my legs and use my jab and put on a boxing clinic," Barthelemy said.
 
"There was nothing surprising about Relikh in the first fight. We knew he'd have power, but unfortunately I had to change my game plan when my body wasn't cooperating. I traded shots and fought his fight. I'm going to stick to my plan this time. Throughout my career I haven't paid enough attention to nutrition. It made my performances inconsistent. Bob Santos has come in and completely changed that. You'll see my conditioning on fight night is the best it's ever been."