Undefeated world champion in three different weight categories, Mikey Garcia, at a joint press conference in Los Angeles with IBF super lightweight champion Sergei Lipinets explained why he chose a fight against a boxer from Kazakhstan, instead of defending his title at lightweight.
"A world champion like Sergey Lipinets is more exciting an opponent for me than an easy title defense," Garcia said. "I wanted a challenge and this man presents that. He's a bigger man, naturally. He's going to be very hungry and motivated. He knows a victory over me launches his career to the top. That's going to make this an interesting fight.
"To win a world title in a fourth division is a big deal to me. My dad [famed trainer Eduardo Garcia] always wanted a three-division world champion, and now I have a chance to give him a fourth title. That's something that really excites me. It would be a great accomplishment to be in the discussion with guys like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez," Garcia said. "That would be a win in itself. But it wasn't on my mind when taking this fight. I just want to keep fighting the best out there. There's still more for me to accomplish until I'm on the same level as Pacquiao and Marquez."