Mikey Garcia mentioned him as a potential opponent, and now unbeaten welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is planning to be near ringside at Staples Center on Saturday night to watch.
Riverside-trained Garcia (38-0, 30 knockouts) will defend his World Boxing Council lightweight belt and try to add the International Boxing Federation version belonging to Ohio?s Robert Easter Jr. (21-0, 14 KOs) in the Showtime-televised main event.
A spokesman for Premier Boxing Champions told The Times on Wednesday that Texas? Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) is coming to Los Angeles following Garcia?s expression of interest in a bout later this year. A December date has been penciled in for Spence?s next bout.
?We?ll see how that [Garcia-Easter] materializes,? PBC spokesman Tim Smith said. ?If it?s makeable, it?ll get made.?
While Garcia?s own brother-trainer, Robert Garcia, and Saturday fight promoter Richard Schaefer have expressed disinterest in Mikey Garcia?s risking defeat while making such a bold move up in weight against one of boxing?s top pound-for-pound talents, the boxer was delighted to hear Spence is coming.
?Nice! That?s a good sign and that [December date] makes it a lot easier,? Garcia said. ?That?s promising.
?Believe me, when we get there, I?m going to turn all the doubters into believers.?
Garcia defeated Adrien Broner by unanimous decision in a 140-pound fight last year, then captured his fourth division title in March by defeating light-welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets by decision.
Spence, at 147 pounds, crushed underdog challenger Carlos Ocampo in June, knocking him out in the first round with a destructive body shot.
Garcia, 30, said he seeks a stiff, high-profile challenge to underline his talent.
?I didn?t know [Spence] was coming, but if he?s coming, that shows interest,? Garcia said. ?He has obviously heard what I?ve been saying and is paying close attention.?
