Garcia has been out of action since a February 2020 decision over Jessie Vargas
Looks like this smoke might actually mean there’s fire. Eddie Hearn tells Mike Coppinger that Regis Prograis and Mikey Garcia “are in advanced talks for a fall clash at 140 pounds,” which would take place on American soil and stream on DAZN.
Both men spoke to ESPN about the matchup, which has been brewing for a few weeks on social media.
“I definitely feel better at 140 (pounds), the only reason I was trying to be at 147 was for a title fight, but since we couldn’t secure a flight with Manny (Pacquiao), there was no reason to stay there,” Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs) told ESPN. “But I’ve pretty much made my decision to campaign at ‘40 for the next matchup.
“I think it’s a great matchup for a few reasons being that he’s an aggressive fighter, he’s accomplished, former world champion and he’s also hungry to regain that position and have a big victory. I want to get back, I want to do big things, I want to be able to challenge for a world title again and be a world champion so I think those are the elements that make it a great matchup.”
“I think it’s the biggest fight at 140,” Prograis (26-1, 22 KOs) told ESPN. “He has a big name, I have a big name right now. All sides want it. Sometimes one side don’t want it and the other side tries to push it. But with me and Mikey, I want it, he wants it. I talked to his brother (trainer Robert Garcia) on FaceTime; he wants it.
“I think it’s going to be a huge, huge fight. I do want to fight the best; I’ve been telling you I want to be a champion again. If I can’t get Josh Taylor, I think Mikey is bigger than anybody right now.”
“Rougarou” also acknowledged that while he’s missed weight twice in a row against Juan Heraldez and Ivan Redkach, “he’ll be hiring a nutritionist for his next training camp” to break the eating habits he developed growing up New Orleans. While it is a bit ironic to see him struggle with the scales after his weight kerfuffle with Maurice Hooker a while back, I can confidently say that I’d be at least 20 pounds heavier if I lived in New Orleans, so fair play to him.
While Prograis is being a bit hyperbolic in calling Garcia “bigger than anybody right now,” this is still a great fight between a brutal body puncher and an ace technician with sneaky power of his own. Having watched Prograis maul two mid-tier guys in a row and Garcia insist on fighting well above his ideal weight, it’s good to see the pair in a well-matched, world-level fight again.
