Stay Connected
Boxing

Mikey Garcia Is Back | Two Heavyweight Fights Keep Boxing Interesting

Posted byBy Rhett Butler | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Boxing keeps getting more exciting as former four-weight class world champion Mikey Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs) returns to the ring.

Garcia laces up the gloves on Oct. 16. He faces European super-lightweight champion Sandor Martin (38-2, 13 KOs) at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California.

However, the fight is Garcia’s first time back since defeating Jessie Vargas in Frisco, Texas, in February 2020. In addition, he fought as a welterweight for that battle, not his normal weight class.

Garcia’s Way

The Southern California Mexican has had a decorated career where he has always stepped to enormous challenges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2im-BhBpg

Notably, in 2019, Garcia called out welterweight king Errol Spence Jr. The fight was two weight classes above Garcia’s normal realm. Additionally, Garcia fought and won the WBC and IBF lightweight titles over Robert Easter Jr. in 2018.

The win gave Easter his first loss. Now Garcia welcomes Martin, a Spaniard, to America.

However, Martin enters the next fight on the back of his two successful defenses of his European super-lightweight (140 pounds) strap. Martin is an unknown to American audiences, and Garcia is his first American fighter, especially of this caliber.

As a top-tier lightweight, many have wondered if Garcia will throw his hat back into the division. With Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, and Ryan Garcia, the landscape is interesting.

Garcia-Martin is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sports. The events will be live worldwide on the DAZN streaming service.

In addition, Hearn adds to the heavyweight conversation by creating intriguing matchups vying to the current champion’s crowns.

“Matchroom and DAZN’s stacked upcoming schedule just got even better with these three blockbuster additions,” said Hearn via statement.

Heavyweight Spectrum

Former WBC interim heavyweight champ Dillian Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) returns on Saturday, Oct. 30, at The 02 in London. “The Body Snatcher” faces off against Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin.

Whyte is a native of Brixton, the Harlem of London, England. He delivered a statement fourth-round TKO against veteran Alexander Povetkin. The revenge fight allows him to reclaim the WBC interim heavyweight title.

However, Whyte is on Tyson Fury’s hit list in line after his trilogy with Deontay Wilder.

Wallin’s (21-1-0-1, 14 KOs) last outings saw him defeat Dominic Breazeale and Travis Kauffman. The wins came after his lone loss against two-time world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Additionally, the big men keep rumbling as Joseph Parker (29-2, 21 KOs) faces off against Derek Chisora (32-11, 23 KOs) on Saturday, Dec. 18.

The two are running back their 12-round war from May 2021.

Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, scored five straight wins since losing to Dillian Whyte in 2018.

However, Derek “War” Chisora hopes to bounce back after losing a split decision against Parker. Chisora also lost a unanimous decision against Oleksandr Usyk in October 2020.

Undisputed Implications

However, DAZN is keeping the action on the other side of the pond.

There are other significant matchups scheduled this fall, all scheduled for the U.K. The heavyweight clash between unified champion Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk is in London.

Additionally, the fight is a huge test for Joshua.

Joshua will be putting his IBF, WBA, WBO, and IBO World titles on the line on Sept. 25 in London. However, Usyk is stepping up to heavyweight for only the third time to meet the challenge.

Nevertheless, Usyk reigned as the undisputed cruiserweight champion from 2018 until 2019; he vacated his titles for bigger challenges at heavyweight. Additionally, he is the first cruiserweight in history to hold all four major world championships.

Conversely, Tyson Fury faces Deontay Wilder in their long-awaited trilogy match on Oct. 9 in Las Vegas. The winner will decide who faces the winner of the Joshua vs. Usyk.

All are in the hunt to create an undisputed heavyweight champion.

Currently, Tyson Fury holds the WBC and The Ring heavyweight belts. Wilder won a lawsuit against Wilder to honor his automatic rematch clause after losing to Fury on Feb. 22, 2020.

`

Related Stories

Back to top