Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs) goes for a fourth world title in a fourth different weight class when he meets Sergey Lipinets on Feb. 10 for Lipinets’ IBF Jr. welterweight championship. If he can get by Lipinets, Garcia plans on cutting back to 135 to face WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares in an unification bout.
Garcia heard people clamoring for a bout featuring two of the best fighters in the world. He’s willing to even have the fight at 135 to make it happen. He just isn’t sure Lomachenko’s promoter at Top Rank, Bob Arum, will allow his rising star to take such a fight.
MORE: Three things we learned from Loma’s domination of Rigo
“It definitely interests a lot of media and a lot of fans,” Garcia told Sporting News. “From what I hear, he’s also interested in facing me. He’s willing to take those challenges and moving up in weight. I’m willing to meet him at 135. I don’t know if his promotional company will allow him to face me. I haven’t heard anything directly from them so I don’t know.”
But there’s a huge obstacle in the way of making it a reality.
Garcia was promoted by Top Rank through his title reigns at 126 and 130 pounds before parting ways with Arum’s team. Leaving proved to be costly for Garcia, as a lengthy court battle kept him out of the ring for over two years. He won his freedom and signed with Al Haymon.
Would Garcia though be willing to put the differences with Arum aside to make the fight take place? On Garcia’s end, there would be no problem as long as things are equitable.
“We always want the best fights possible,’ Garica said. “But if that’s the fight to happen, I think we are willing to put the past to the side as long as we get a fair deal and we can work together on a fight with Lomachenko or any other fighter that Top Rank holds.”
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can listen to his podcast, “The Fight Club Chicago,” here . You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA .
