2014 Boxiing News: Manny Pacquiao To Fight Mikey Garcia Next After Beating Tim Bradley
The Manny Pacquiao vs. Mikey Garcia showdown could really happen later this year, if the reigning super featherweight champion continues to build up his stocks as he moves up in weight. Former Trainer of the Year Robert Guerrero believes Garcia would be ready enough by the time he matches up with the eight-division champion in the last quarter of 2014.
Garcia, the brother and chief trainer of the two-division world champion, believes the Pacquiao fight for Mikey is certainly on horizon, especially if he keep his undefeated record intact and annihilate opponents with relative ease in his succeeding fights.
"I do picture (a Pacquiao fight) happening," Robert told Michael Woods of The Sweet Science before Mikey scored a unanimous decision win over Juan Carlos Burgos on Sunday. "But we're focusing on Mikey's fight against Burgos. We don't talk to Mikey about it, but myself, manager Cameron Dunkin, our father, we talk about it."
Pacquiao Has to Do His Part
Garcia, who also served as the trainer of welterweight contender Brandon Rios, said Pacquiao has to do his part for him to arrange a showdown with his little brother.
"I think it's a fight that definitely will happen, especially if Manny beats Bradley. It's gonna be a hard fight for Manny against Bradley. Bradley's had some great wins," Robert said. "But if Manny wins, I could see it happening by the end of the year."
Garcia even revealed that Pacquiao and Garcia had engaged into several rounds of sparring back when the Pacman was tuning up for his slugfest with Mexican great Erik Morales in 2006.
"They sparred six, eight rounds at a time. It was great," Robert said during an interview with ESPN. "We're not saying Mikey did better or won those sparring matches, no, but neither did Pacquiao."
Top Rank Chief Promoter Bob Arum admitted that he's really grooming Garcia to fight Pacquiao at the end of the year.
"He indicated to various people that down the road, he would look forward to a battle with Manny Pacquiao" Arum said via Yahoo Sports. "Why wouldn't it be good? Of course that was my thought. I'm a big Mikey Garcia fan."
"I really believe that Mikey is a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter right now," said Arum. "I believe that long term, Mikey will challenge, if not be universally accepted as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. I think he's a complete fighter," he added.
Tough Fights Ahead
Pacquiao is slated to face Tim Bradley in a rematch of their highly-controversial WBO Welterweight Championship in 2012, while Garcia could face Yuriorkis Gamboa in his next fight, if both camps agree to terms.
For more Manny Pacquiao Next Fight update, read more at IBT Sports