WBC Lightweight World Champion Mikey Garcia and IBF Lightweight World Champion Robert Easter Jr. will meet in a 135-pound unification showdown between unbeaten stars Saturday, July 28 live on SHOWTIME from STAPLES Center.
“We were fighting at 140 but I always had my mind set act coming back to lightweight,” Garcia said. “The only fight that made sense was a unification and the fighter available was Robert Easter Jr. He’s a champion and the man to beat. It’s great to be back to finally give my fans here in Southern California a fight. Now that we are I get to give them a unification match and the biggest fight of my career to date.”
“I got my fight on July 28, but there’s been a lot of talk about [Vasyl] Lomachenko and me over the past year. If I get through Robert Easter I’d be unified champ and the only other fight that makes sense is Lomachenko,” he added.
Easter recently changed trainers and is now working with Kevin Cunningham. “Lomachenko and Mikey are two skillful guys in the lightweight division and two guys I want to fight,” Easter said. “Me and Mikey will do the talking in the ring. My height and my reach will give anyone problems as long as I use them skillfully.”
Easter won his title in September 2016 via tight split decision over Ghana’s Richard Commey. He has since defended that belt three times. Commey worked his way back and is the IBF’s mandatory challenger. The winner of this bout may be required to face him next.
Garcia is considered arguably one of the world’s top five fighters. The four-division world champion recently relinquished his 140lb. strap to move back down and unify.
Stay tuned for more details.