CHAMPIONS FACE OFF
Garcia was always prepared for his Easter test, writes Chris Walker
Previewing the Mikey Garciarobert Easter Jnr unification clash
MIKEY GARCIA
always believed a fight with Robert
Easter Jnr was imminent. When speaking to this publication earlier this year ahead of his harderthan-expected unanimous decision over Sergey Lipinets in March, Garcia, although dreaming of Vasyl Lomachenko and Jorge Linares, admitted that a showdown with his fellow unbeaten was likely if negotiations with the aforementioned stars failed to get off the ground. This Saturday (July 28), the fight becomes official, with Garcia’s WBC lightweight title, along with the IBF strap owned by Easter, on the line in a unification meeting at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (Tom Brown promotes and Showtime televise).
Despite being third choice on Garcia’s list of desires, Easter, 21-0 (14), without the market value of other names in his weight class, looks a decent test for the talented Californian. An amateur who amassed a vast quantity of unpaid ring time, Easter just missed out on a place at the 2012 Olympics, but that setback was quickly forgotten as he joined the professional ranks and got down to business with menacing intent.
Proving to be a destructive puncher at a level way down from the platform he operates on today, Easter’s rise was an enjoyable one accompanied by highlight-reel knockouts for the 27-yearold Ohioan. His breakout performance occurred in April 2016 when a further demonstration of his heavy artillery was displayed when splattering the usually durable Argenis Mendez in five one-sided rounds. Although this win secured Easter a place in the upper echelons of the qualityladen 135lb division, it remains his last stoppage success, as his competition has significantly increased since, for the most part. His reward for defeating Mendez with relative ease was a stab at the vacant IBF belt five months later, with the well-travelled Richard Commey in the opposite corner. A torrid encounter saw Easter emerge victorious by the narrowest of
margins as he was awarded the crown via a split verdict nod. Decision wins since in defences against Luis Cruz (unanimous), Denis Shafikov (unanimous) and Javier Fortuna (split) have seemingly transitioned Easter into a championship fighter capable of going the distance at a blistering pace, and he may need such experience if he has any chance of upsetting Garcia’s momentum.
Since returning in July 2016 from a two-and-a-half-year hiatus due to major issues with his former promoter Top Rank, the 30-year-old Garcia, 38-0 (30), has handled all of his opponents in a manner befitting a multi-weight world champion who occupies a lofty spot on all pound-for-pound lists. In January 2017, he KO’D the in-form Dejan Zlaticanin in three for the belt he defends this weekend, and in July of that year, he deterred the threat of the decorated Adrien Broner with a unanimous verdict at super-lightweight. A brief stay at 140lbs brought another world title (IBF) – in a fourth different weight class – against Lipinets, but it’s back to lightweight for Garcia for the time being, where the hurtful hands of Easter await him.
The tall and rangy Easter has slowly morphed into a fighter who today relies on fitness rather than the explosiveness that saw him rack up 14 early finishes from his first 17 contests. Now trained by esteemed coach Kevin Cunningham, he must set an uncomfortable pace for Garcia – sometimes a slow starter in the sense of taking a detailed look at what’s in front of him – so any chance to grab an initiative could be in the early sessions. A fast tone may also impact on Garcia’s conditioning, due to his consistent urge to flirt with different divisions without ever committing to one. A veteran of nearly 40 fights and a 12-year professional, just how much more pressure can Garcia put on a frame that has been forced to fluctuate in weight in recent times?
A significant underdog with bookmakers, Easter faces an uphill struggle from the opening bell, but I do believe that he can have some success and emerge from this fight with a lot of credit. A superb in-fighter with a brilliant right hand, Easter won’t let the occasion get to him, in fact, the size of the task will likely motivate him. However, once the complete Garcia makes the necessary adjustments, he’ll pull away in the fight’s second half to win by a few rounds and become a unified world champion. Also on the bill, Cuban heavyweight southpaw Luis Ortiz, 28-1 (24) 2NC, has his first fight since being stopped in 10 by Deontay Wilder in March. The margins in boxing are tiny, and if Ortiz had put the WBC titlist away when he had him rocking and rolling, he could now be preparing for Anthony Joshua instead of Razvan Cojanu, 16-3 (9). The skilful Ortiz [pictured] may struggle to get up for this 10-rounder, but no matter how he feels, he should have more than enough for the limited Romanian giant, who was easily unanimously outscored by then-wbo champ Joseph Parker in May last year. In addition to Ortiz, another undercard standout is Karlos Balderas, 5-0 (4), who gets a six-round runout against Mexico City’s Daniel Evangelista Jnr, 20-9-2 (16). Balderas’ exciting performances impressed those watching the 2016 Olympics, and he has carried the same fan-friendly style into the paid code. Expectations are high for the California lightweight.
THE VERDICT Two world champions fighting one another is always a welcome occurrence.