HBO’s ‘2 Days: Mikey Garcia’ to debut Oct. 19 after Alvarado-Provodnikov

HBO’s “2 Days: Mikey Garcia,” will premiere Oct. 19 following the interim junior welterweight title fight between Mike Alvarado and Ruslan Provodnikov.

The documentary will center on 48 hours in the life of Garcia (32-0, 27 KOs), the former featherweight champion from Oxnard who Nov. 9 will move up in weight and challenge Roman Martinez (27-1-2, 16 KOs) of Puerto Rico for his super featherweight belt from Corpus Christi, Texas (on HBO).

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Mikey Garcia stops Juan Manuel Lopez in the fourth round in Dallas

Mikey Garcia of Oxnard lost his featherweight world title on the scales Friday when he weighed in two pounds over the limit. But his fight with Juan Manuel Lopez still went on and Garcia stopped Lopez in the fourth round Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The end came when Garcia hurt Lopez with a right cross to the head, then decked him with a left hook upstairs. Lopez got up, but the referee stopped it at 1:35.

Garcia (32-0, 27 KOs) was unable to win back the title because he was overweight, so it remains vacant. Only Lopez (33-3), of Puerto Rico, could have left the ring with it had he emerged victorious.

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Mikey Garcia loses featherweight title on the scales, but fight with Lopez still a go

Mikey Garcia of Oxnard was all set to defend his featherweight title against Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico on Saturday from American Airlines Center in Dallas. However, he was two pounds over at Friday’s weigh-in and was stripped of his belt.

Garcia, who weighed 128 pounds, could have weighed in again two hours later, but he declined because “he was completely drained,” said Lee Samuels, a spokesman for Top Rank Inc., which promotes Garcia and Lopez.

The fight will go on. If Garcia wins, the title will remain vacant. If Lopez wins, he will leave the ring with the championship belt because he came in under the 126-pound limit.

Garcia is 31-0 with 26 knockouts. Lopez is 33-2 with 30 knockouts. Their fight will be televised by HBO.

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Featherweight champ Mikey Garcia to hold public workout Saturday in Yorba Linda

Featherweight world champion Mikey Garcia of Oxnard will play host to a sparring session today at 11 a.m. at the UFC Gym in Yorba Linda. It will be open to the public.

Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) is preparing to defend his title against former champion Juan Manuel Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs) of Puerto Rico on June 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas (on HBO).

Joining Garcia at the workout will be his older brother and trainer, former super featherweight champion Robert Garcia. Also on hand will be their father, Eduardo Garcia, who helps Robert train Mikey.

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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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Bob Arum agrees Juan Manuel Lopez needs to do well against Mikey Garcia

Juan Manuel Lopez is 33-2 with 30 knockouts. He won his first 30 fights and he has won world titles in two weight classes. But at 29, the former super bantamweight and featherweight champion is faced with a must-look-good scenario in his challenge to featherweight champion Mikey Garcia on June 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas (on HBO).

Lopez, of Puerto Rico, doesn’t necessarily need to beat Garcia. But if he gets routed, it will be difficult for his promoter, Bob Arum, to get him back on HBO. It might not seem fair, what with Lopez’s accomplishments, and Arum agrees. But …

“No, but life isn’t fair,” Arum said. “And also, there are a limited number of network dates and you can’t blame them that they want to go with the best attractions, the guys who haven’t lost or if they lost, people want to see them again.
“If Juanma (Lopez) and Mikey have a ferocious fight and it’s just a slugfest, a Fight of the Year candidate, it doesn’t matter who wins or loses. But if Mikey blows out Juanma, not good for Juanma.”

Lopez is 3-2 in his past five bouts. But the two losses – to Orlando Salido in 2011 and 2012, were via technical knockout.

Garcia, of Oxnard, is 31-0 with 26 knockouts. He is trained by his brother, former super featherweight champion Robert Garcia.

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Mikey Garcia, Juanma to square off

A news conference will be held Thursday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas to formally announce the June 15 fight there between featherweight champion Mikey Garcia of Oxnard and former featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico.

Their bout – to be televised by HBO – will be staged by Top Rank Inc.

Garcia, 25, will be looking to make the first defense of the title he took from Orlando Salido in January. Garcia is 31-0 with 26 knockouts.

Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs) lost his title to Salido via eighth-round TKO in April 2011. Lopez tried to get it back in March 2012, but was stopped in the 10th by Salido. Lopez, 29, is 2-0 with two knockouts since then.

 

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