We are mere hours away from Showtime Championship Boxing?s latest doubleheader, set to take place the city of San Juan on the island of Puerto Rico.
The main event is a rematch of last year?s thrilling upset by hard-headed Sonora, Mexico native Orlando Salido over then-WBO featherweight king Juan Manuel Lopez while the televised support bout sees unbeaten featherweight contender Miguel ?Mikey? Garcia facing off with former title challenger Bernabe Concepcion.
Mikey trains under the watchful eye of his father Eduardo, known best for his work with former junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, and his older brother Robert serves as his assistant coach.
A former champion himself at 130 pounds, Robert is one of the most talked-about trainers today because of his work with Brandon Rios, Nonito Donaire, Kelly Pavlik, and Antonio Margarito, amongst others, and while Mikey have not yet be generating the kind of interest as the above-mentioned quartet, he has tremendous promise.
I was present for the final sparring day of young Garcia?s camp last weekend in Riverside, California, and asked Robert, twelve years Mikey?s senior, whether he had a bond with his younger sibling as they came up.
?Mike?s always been my little brother and we?ve been really close,? stated Robert, who lives in Oxnard. ?Every time there?s a chance to come over here and visit him and his family, we?re over here. It?s been two years since he moved to Riverside and in the past two years is when we?ve probably spent the less time together but we?ve always been very close.?
Mike is as seemingly modest and soft-spoken as a prizefighter as you will find and Robert pointed out that he had similar traits as a youth.
?He?s always been very quiet. But he was never out on the streets, always home, but he was a little troublemaker at home,? Garcia continued. ?Always had something to do and always had something to get in trouble for. Very busy, always trying to invent little games and things like that. Always very active but never in trouble in the streets. That?s never been Mikey.?
Garcia was asked what it has been like to see Mikey flourish as a pugilist these past few years and he took a professional approach when giving his answer.
?When we are in the gym and we are in the fights, my Dad and myself, we don?t see him as our brother,? said Robert. ?Because we?ve got to work as if he?s one of our fighters. But just watching his career get better and better, it?s something that is hard for somebody to accomplish and he?s getting there. He?s not there yet but I?m pretty sure this year he?ll be where every fighter wants to be at; a world title fight.
?It?s just unbelievable to know that my younger brother, who never wanted to box, and started boxing at fourteen, has made that move and has been so good,? Garcia added. ?Especially after he graduated from the Police Academy, so he could have been doing other stuff but he chose boxing, for whatever reason it was. He used to hate going to the gym. There were times when my Dad got mad at Mikey because he never wanted to go to the gym. But then, at fourteen, one day he just decided to go.?
Concepcion figures to make for a lively opponent even when considering the limitations he has shown in title-losing efforts to the likes of Lopez and Steven Luevano. Robert is respectful enough to recognize the potential of a serious fight breaking out but seems to hint that Mikey may be ending things rather early.
?Not an easy fight, because Concepcion is dangerous, he?s powerful, and he comes to fight,? Garcia stated. ?Mikey?s style is that style that could change from one round to another and I wouldn?t be surprised if the fight ends in a quick knockout because Mikey has tremendous power.?
Robert will surely have his eyes fixed on the Lopez-Salido rematch given his camaraderie with ?Juanma? but isn?t sure how the match will play out.
?Hell of a fight, I can?t wait to see it,? Garcia sharply noted. ?Lopez, I consider him a friend and I know him pretty well. When I went to Puerto Rico for a Cotto-Margarito press conference, he took me out that night and we went out for a couple hours and he?s a good person. But he?s got a hard fight and I hope he?s in great shape because he?s got all the potential of beating Salido. But if he gets caught again, you never know what could happen.?
And for Robert, if Mikey is able to emerge successful tonight, he would like nothing more than to see him in the ring with the winner of the Lopez-Salido rematch.
?That?s the only fight that makes sense right now,? said Garcia. ?And actually, Arum and Top Rank mentioned the winner fighting Mikey, but it?s all about negotiating. Boxing is a business, and if Juanma wins he might have other plans in moving up in weight and looking at bigger paydays. I don?t know, that?s up to them. Salido will do the same and if he gets the chance to fight Mikey then maybe he?ll do it.?
