If I Were a Boxing Matchmaker: Mikey Garcia

In light of Mikey Garcia’s loss to Errol Spence Jr., I’d like to discuss the top matchups I would try and negotiate for the former of the two.

Mikey Garcia 39-1 (30 KOs)

Mikey Garcia is a gifted tactician with remarkable technique. He is near flawless when it comes to throwing punches properly. He is phenomenal at gauging distance and throws extremely accurate punches. Garcia has very good power in both hands, which makes him a nightmare for most anybody he fights. I have tremendous respect for Mister Garcia as a boxer. He is respectful, soft spoken and seems to want to do the right thing, the right way when it comes to building a legacy in boxing. The sport of boxing needs more men like this. Regardless of his loss to Errol Spence, Garcia is still one of the more elite boxers in the sport today. I believe he chose to take the fight against Spence, hoping to prove he can beat the best at any level and succeed when taking the toughest challenges. Which is the way it should be. The best fighting the best.

However, I do not think that is a weight that he should stay at. Mikey Garcia needs to go back down to lightweight in order to be as effective as he was before the Spence fight. He can build and achieve just about as big of a legacy down there by fighting top level operators near those weight classes. Maybe he can make a second run at welterweight in a couple of years, but for now let’s make some good matchups he can rest his hat on until that day comes.

#1 Matchup: Vasiliy Lomachenko 13-1 (10 KOs)

This is a matchup that all boxing enthusiast want to see. These are two of the most technically gifted boxers that I have ever seen. The accuracy of these two men is incredible and there is very little wasted motion when they box. This is not only a fantastic styles matchup, it is also the two best lightweights in the world today.

Mikey Garcia is naturally the bigger guy in this bout and the harder puncher, but Lomachenko is the quicker, nimbler of the two. Jorge Linares put Lomachenko down and I think Garcia has the chance to do the same if he can catch him. However, Garcia was outboxed by Errol Spence and I think Lomachenko is the more skilled of those two. Please make this match sooner than later. Don’t let this be a fight that we look back and say “should of, could of”. This can make loads of money for all parties involved and make us fight fans very pleased.

#2 Matchup: Jorge Linares 45-5 (28 KOs)

I know that Jorge Linares just got blown out in one round by Pablo Cesar Cano, but Linares, just like Mikey Garcia, does not belong above 135 pounds. Prior to the loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko, Linares was riding high on a 13-fight, 6-year win streak. Defeating the likes of Anthony Crolla twice and Luke Campbell once, both of whom are were rated in the top 10. Jorge Linares is one of the most talented boxers around. Before Lomachenko finally ended Linares’ night back on May 12, 2018, Linares was arguably the top lightweight in the division. Jorge Linares gave Lomachenko a great run for his money by putting him down on the canvas once in that bout. Jorge Linares needs a fight like this for his legacy as well.

Stylistically, this a great fight. Mikey Garcia hits harder and might take a better punch, but Linares is faster and has more weapons in his arsenal. Keep in mind that Garcia is not an aggressive fighter either, which plays into the hands of Linares. They are both tacticians who need space to create opportunities. This would be a phenomenal chess match. I would personally love to see this and I believe so would many others.

#3 Matchup: Gervonta Davis 21-0 (20 KO’S)

Gervonta Davis is a special talent and so is Mikey Garcia. If these two collided, it would be a battle of who puts who out. I don’t believe a knockout would be far-fetched in this scrap. They have delivered 50 knockouts in 60 professional fights between the two. Neither one has been on the other end of that knockout yet, but we would all be bouncing and twitching our legs in anticipation of it happening at any moment if they fought. It would be like having a staring contest with your T.V. If you look away at any minute, you might end up missing the end.

#4 Matchup: Miguel Berchelt 35-1 (31 KO’S)

Miguel Berchelt is a solid fighter. He hits hard but has a tendency to get a little wild on occasion. He throws a lot of combinations, but leaves himself open and exposed when doing so. Berchelt and Davis both have the potential to be in the top five of the lightweight division if they chose to move up. If Mikey Garcia versus Miguel Berchelt did take place, the slogan for the fight should be “Guts for Glory”. Berchelt could test Garcia’s heart and chin. Garcia would certainly do the same for Berchelt. Both men are near, or at the top of their divisions respectively and can easily make this happen at 135. Mexican fans love a battle of heart, chin, power and balls and I don’t blame them. Who doesn’t? This would probably fit that description and check most of those boxes. This probably sells really well in California, or possibly even the hot desert of Las Vegas.

#5 Matchup: Teofimo Lopez 13-0 (11 KO’S)

Teofimo Lopez is another talented young man. He might need a couple more battle tested opponents before taking on the likes of Vasiliy Lomachenko or Mikey Garcia. However, if I were to choose one of the two for him to fight, it would be Mikey Garcia. Garcia is naturally bigger than Lomachenko and Lopez is a big Lightweight, who will probably be up at welterweight fairly soon. Lopez is on a path of destruction and Mister Garcia is in his way. The problem is that Mikey Garcia is a sturdy brick wall, actually he’s probably more of a concrete warehouse in construction comparison. Lopez has not fought anybody as talented as Garcia, or a man who hits as hard. This would be a fantastic test for Lopez to see where he truly belongs in a battle of Lightweight supremacy.