Mikey Garcia brimming with confidence ahead of first fight in 2 1/2 years

Mikey Garcia speaks at Thursday’s final news conference/Photo by Ed Diller, Dibella Entertainment

 

Some fighters might be a bit worried about having a fight for the first time in 2 1/2 years. Not Mikey Garcia. He’s brimming with as much confidence as ever.

“I have better skills than any fighter put in front of me,” said Garcia, who Saturday will take on Elio Rojas in a junior welterweight bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime). “This will be the beginning of the next stage of my career, the most memorable part of my career.

Garcia, who was speaking at Thursday’s final news conference, has not fought since January 2014, when he defended his super featherweight title with a wide decision over Juan Carlos Burgos at Madison Square Garden.

Garcia (34-0, 28 KOs) then got into a contract hassle with his then-promoter, Bob Arum, and has not fought since. Garcia, who has won titles at featherweight and super featherweight, is now a free agent.

Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, is expecting to beat Garcia.

“In this fight, I know I’m being brought in as an opponent,” said Rojas, a former featherweight champion. “But I’m going to let the fans know that I’m not just an opponent.

“I know who Mikey Garcia is. I have all the abilities to win on July 30. I’ve always been a boxer who was never protected. I always prepare to win the fight and this will be no exception.”

Rojas has had a layoff of 23 months.

Garcia-Rojas will fight underneath the featherweight world-title fight between champion Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights and Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland.

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Carl Frampton confident he can leave ring with Leo Santa Cruz’s title

Carl Frampton/Photo by Ed Diller, DiBella Entertainment

 

Carl Frampton will have his hands full Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn when he challenges Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) of Lincoln Heights for his featherweight world title (on Showtime). But the former super bantamweight champion from Northern Ireland who is moving  up in weight has no doubt he can emerge with Santa Cruz’s belt.

“Leo is a great fighter,” Frampton said. “He’s world class. Easily the toughest opponent that I’ve faced so far. But I think I’m Leo’s best opponent as well. I think this has all the ingredients to be a top quality fight. I’ve had a hard training camp and I’m ready to leave everything in the ring.
“I’ve got a game plan. I’m not going to blink. We’re hoping that game-plan ‘A’ will work. But if not, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
The way Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) sees it, he has nothing to lose in this one.
“All the pressure is on Santa Cruz,” he said. “Everyone is expecting him to win. I’m going to come in there and upset him. I’m here to put on a great performance and bring the belt back home.”

 

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Carl Frampton wants to ‘win it back’ for manager Barry McGuigan, who once held title Leo Santa Cruz now holds

Carl Frampton/Photo courtesy of Ed Diller, DiBella Entertainment

 

Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland has accomplished quite a bit in his career. He is 22-0 with 14 knockouts and has won a world title in the super bantamweight division.

Frampton on Saturday will try to add another belt to his collection when he challenges Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights for his featherweight world title at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

 

Winning a title in a second weight class provides Frampton with plenty of incentive. But there is another driving force. It has to do with Frampton’s manager, former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan of Ireland.

“Obviously, I have enough motivation on my own, but it would be nice to bring back the title that Barry once owned,” Frampton said. “It feels a bit like destiny for me. It’s my turn to win it back for him. I’m doing this for my whole team. I’m doing this for my family and I’m doing this for my entire country.”

McGuigan once held the WBA featherweight title, the same one Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) currently holds.

 

 

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Leo Santa Cruz seems to have nothing but respect for Carl Frampton

Leo Santa Cruz/Photo by Amanda Westcott, Showtime

 

Leo Santa Cruz didn’t get to where he is today by taking victories for granted. Therefore, even though Carl Frampton is moving up in weight to challenge Santa Cruz for his featherweight world title Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime), Santa Cruz will stick to his credo of regarding every opponent as an equal.

“People think Frampton is the underdog because he’s moving up in weight,” Santa Cruz said Wednesday at a workout in New York City. “But I (previously) moved up in weight, too. I never take an opponent lightly. I’m going to come really hungry. I respect every fighter and I train for my opponent to be at his best.”

Santa Cruz intimated Frampton – a former super bantamweight champion from Northern Ireland – is as real as a fighter gets.

“I have a lot of respect for Frampton,” said Santa Cruz, of the Lincoln Heights section of Los Angeles. “He has everything you need to be a great fighter. Excellent footwork, great power and good punches. Once he’s in the ring with me, I’m fighting for my future.”

Santa Cruz is 32-0-1 with 18 knockouts. He has won titles in the bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

Frampton is 22-0 with 14 knockouts.

 

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Leo Santa Cruz stoked that his ailing father made trip to New York City

Leo Santa Cruz, left, and Carl Frampton pose here on the observation deck of the Empire State building in Manhattan. They will fight Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn/Photo courtesy of Amanda Westcott, Showtime

 

Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights was in a good mood Tuesday. One reason was because he and Carl Frampton were able to spend some time on the observation deck of the Empire State building in Manhattan. The biggest reason was because Santa Cruz’s ailing father – Jose Santa Cruz – will be in his corner Saturday when Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) defends his featherweight belt against Northern Ireland’s Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

The elder Santa Cruz helps train his son along with his other son, lead trainer Antonio Santa Cruz. Jose Santa Cruz has been battling spinal cancer and although he has been improving, there was still a question as to whether he was going to be able to make the cross-country trip to New York City.

“I am so happy my father is here with us,” Leo Santa Cruz said. “We thought he might not be able to make it, but thank God he is here with us. Not having my dad here in New York with me would have been hard. It actually brought tears to my eyes.
“But I am very happy that he is here and will be in my corner for my fight.”

 

 

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Leo Santa Cruz doesn’t want Carl Frampton to slow down his momentum

Leo Santa Cruz

Leo Santa Cruz/Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights has accomplished a lot in boxing, having won world titles in three weight classes. But make no mistake, he will have his work cut out for him July 30 when he defends his featherweight belt against Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

Santa Cruz seems to know that.

“He has great skills, great punches and he moves very well,” Santa Cruz said Tuesday at a workout at City of Angels Boxing Gym in Los Angeles. “It’s going to be a tough fight for me, but I’m going to work hard to defend my belt.
Santa Cruz has won championships in the bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Still just 27, he wants to further cement his legacy and a loss to Frampton would at least temporarily derail that effort.
“I see Frampton as someone trying to come and take away everything I worked hard for,” Santa Cruz said. “I can’t let that happen. I’m going to do what I have to do to get the win.”
Santa Cruz is 32-0-1 with 18 knockouts. Frampton, 29, is 22-0 with 14 knockouts. The former super bantamweight champion is moving up in weight to challenge Santa Cruz.
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Mikey Garcia missed competition against elite fighters during down time

Mikey Garcia is seen here with his brother/trainer Robert Garcia after defeating Juan Carlos Burgos in January 2014, the last time Mikey Garcia fought before a contract dispute with his promoter kept him out 2 1/2 years/Photo courtesy of HBO

 

Mikey Garcia of Oxnard has sat out the past 2 1/2 years because of a contract dispute with his now-former promoter Bob Arum. Garcia, now a free agent, will make his return July 30 when he takes on Elio Rojas underneath the featherweight title fight between champion Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

Garcia, 28, went 34-0 with 28 knockouts and won world titles in the featherweight and super featherweight divisions before his hiatus. He was asked Tuesday what he missed most.

“The actual fight itself,” said Garcia, who, along with Santa Cruz hosted a media workout at City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles. “Just being able to show my skills, what I can do in the ring and just the competition versus other elite fighters. That’s the No. 1 thing. You always want to prove yourself and prove to everybody, you know, match yourself against the top champions, and I was unable to do that.”

 

 

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Carl Frampton wants to create strong legacy; a win over Leo Santa Cruz would go a long way in that regard

Carl Frampton

Carl Frampton/Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland has already done very well during his seven-year pro career. He is 22-0 with 14 knockouts, won the super bantamweight world title in September 2014 and made three successful defenses. One of those defenses was a split-decision over Scott Quigg in a title-unification bout in February in England.

However, nothing Frampton has done would compare to what a victory over Leo Santa Cruz would do for him. It would make him a great fighter, one to remember, and that’s what Frampton craves. The two will square off July 30 for Santa Cruz’s featherweight title at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

“This fight is huge for me because I really want to create a legacy,” Frampton said Thursday at a workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. “I know how people talk, and I think people will be talking about this for a very long time. I want people to remember me as a great fighter, that’s all.”

Santa Cruz, of Lincoln Heights, is 27. He is 32-0-1 with 18 knockouts, 11-0 with seven knockouts in world-title fights. Santa Cruz has won titles in the bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He’ll be a touch nut to crack for Frampton.

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Joseph Diaz Jr. of South El Monte looks to fight best of the featherweights

Joseph Diaz Jr./Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

 

Joseph Diaz Jr. of South El Monte has compiled a professional record of 20-0 and 11 knockouts since representing the U.S. in the 2012 London Games. He is ranked as high as No. 3 at featherweight by one governing body.

Diaz, just 23, is getting closer to a world-title shot in one of boxing’s talent-rich divisions, which has champions like Leo Santa Cruz, Gary Russell Jr. and Jesus Cuellar and contenders like Carl Frampton and Oscar Valdez. Diaz may not take a back seat to any of them, but that remains to be seen.

Diaz wants to make believers out of boxing fans, though, and he takes that responsibility seriously. Diaz was part of a news conference Wednesday at the Golden Boy Promotions offices in downtown Los Angeles. He’ll next fight July 30 at Fantasy Springs Casino on Indio (on HBO Latino) and although his opponent is still to be determined, he vowed to continue to show fans what he’s about.

“I’m excited to give everyone a great performance,” said Diaz, who trains out of the Teamster’s Youth Boxing Club in South El Monte. “I’ve been training very hard, and I want to showcase that I am at the same level as all the champions in the featherweight division. Hopefully, I can go for a world title soon.”

Diaz fights for Golden Boy. Its senior vice-president, Eric Gomez, touched on the 126-pound division moving forward.

“We are in an Olympic year, and our co-headliner will be ex-Olympian, Joseph Diaz, Jr. who also has a great record as a featherweight fighter,” Gomez said. “I believe the featherweight division will be the hottest division in the next few years because of all the talent we have following in the footsteps of Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.”

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Mikey Garcia to return July 30 in Brooklyn after layoff of nearly 2 1/2 years

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE After a lengthy legal battle with Top Rank, Oxnard's Mikey Garcia is free to sign with another promotional company and hopes to get back into the ring in the near future.

Mike Garcia of Oxnard will come out of a 2 1/2-year layoff on July 30/Associated Press file photo

 

Mikey Garcia has not fought in nearly 2 1/2 years, no thanks to contractual issues with his former promoter – Top Rank Inc. Don’t look now, but Garcia is back and the ultra-talented former world champion will make his long-awaited return to the ring when he takes on Elio Rojas on July 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Showtime).

Garcia was one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world before his long layoff, having won world titles in the featherweight and super featherweight divisions while going 34-0 with 28 knockouts. Suffice to say, he can’t wait to get back in there.

“I just have to get one fight in,” said Garcia, 28, of Oxnard. “This first fight with Elio will be somewhere between 135 (lightweight) and 140 pounds (junior welterweight), but I want to fight at 135 and win a title there. I want to win a title there and keep going after champion after champion. Now that all that (uncertainty) is behind me, I look forward to the next stage of my career. This next stage of my career will be what people remember me for.”

Garcia last fought on Jan. 25, 2014 when he defended his super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Burgos at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Garcia and Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs) – a former featherweight champion from the Dominican Republic – will fight underneath the featherweight title fight between champion Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights and Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland.

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