A fight between stablemates Mikey Garcia and Nonito Donaire would be emotional

Robert Garcia trains his brother, featherweight champion Mikey Garcia, as well as former super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. The two fighters are managed by the same guy – Cameron Dunkin – as well. Heck, they are even promoted by the same guy – Bob Arum.

With all that, it’s difficult to imagine Mikey Garcia and Donaire ever fighting. However, since quality opponents for them are limited because Top Rank does not do business with rival Golden Boy Promotions, they may at some point have no choice but to square off.

Arum does not like the idea one bit.

“It doesn’t seem to me that there is a chance that it can happen,” Arum said. “They are not only trained by the same guy, they’re managed by the same guy.”
Arum said that used to be a no-no.
“You couldn’t have fighters managed by the same guy, no less guys trained by the same guy, fighting each other,” Arum said. “That never was allowed to happen. Now, apparently, nobody gives a (expletive) anymore. I just think it shouldn’t be allowed. It’s a conflict of interest. Can a lawyer represent both sides in a litigation?”

It was suggested to Arum that perhaps Robert Garcia  could train his brother for that fight and Donaire could use someone else.

“I suppose that would be OK,” he said. “That wouldn’t be the same as two guys being trained by the same person and two guys managed by the same person.”

Robert Garcia really wants no part of this. But he said if the respective fighters wanted it, he would not stand in their way.

“In that situation, it would have to be Donaire’s and MIkey’s decision,” said Robert Garcia, a former super featherweight champion from Oxnard.

Robert Garcia conceded that at some point, the fight may have to happen.

“In that case the best thing to do would be for Donaire to be trained by someone else, Mikey trains with my dad (Eduardo) and me, just go and watch the fight,” said Robert Garcia, who said he and Donaire are also like brothers. “It wouldn’t be easy for me or for Cameron Dunkin. Mikey would be in great hands with my dad, so I wouldn’t worry about that.
“But I would worry about Donaire. Maybe we’re going to get to a situation where there isn’t anything else out there and that fight is going to be a big favorite and Nonito and Mikey agree. I’m not going to force them to not fight each other.”

Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) will defend his title against former champion Juan Manuel Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs) on June 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas (on HBO). Donaire most recently lost a unanimous decision to Guillermo Rigondeaux in a super bantamweight title-unification bout on April 13. Donaire is expected to move up to featherweight.

 

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