Former four-division world titleholder Mikey Garcia 40-1 (30) is still holding out hope for a fight against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao 62-7-2 (39) later this year.
But the 33-year-old Californian, who has not fought since outpointing Jessie Vargas in Frisco, Texas in February last year, is starting to get desperate to get back in the ring.
Southpaw Pacquiao, 42, has been out of action even longer. The last time he threw a punch in anger was against Keith Thurman in Las Vegas in July 2019, a fight he won by split decision.
With time running out for a summer showdown between the pair, Garcia revealed he is on the verge of moving on.
“I hope so. I’m still crossing my fingers for it,” Garcia said to Snow Queen LA. “It’s not there yet, it hasn’t happened, it hasn’t gotten done. We’ve been going back and forth. He’s got a lot of people on his team and some give me one answer and some give me another answer.
“It’s complicated. I’ve had a few proposals but nothing that is exciting enough for me to sign. They’re good decent proposals, respectable proposals, respectable offers, but when we start working on the real details, they’re not there.
“A few things are lacking. It just hasn’t happened. If it doesn’t happen in the next few weeks, then I’m probably ready to move on and search for another opponent for my next upcoming fight.”
Despite the depth of talent at junior welterweight and welterweight, Garcia is working against the clock to find a viable opponent.
WBA and IBF 140-pound boss Josh Taylor 17-0 (13) meets WBC and WBO kingpin Jose Ramirez 26-0 (17) in a rare four-belt unification bout in Las Vegas this Saturday while Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis 24-0 (23) will challenge WBA ‘regular’ titleholder Mario Barrios 26-0 (17) at the same weight in Atlanta on June 26.
At welter WBO champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 37-0 (28) is also pursuing a fight against Pacquiao while there would be little interested in a rematch against WBC and IBF champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 27-0 (21) who gave Garcia a 12-round drugging in Dallas two years go.
“It depends on who’s available for the time frame of late July or early August, weight class 140 or 147,” Garcia said.
“I’m hoping I can still get something done so I can get in the ring with Pacquiao. That’s a perfect match-up. And I love that fight. I think he likes it.
“I keep hearing everybody in his team likes the fight, but when it comes to the financials, it’s where things get a little complicated. It’s going good.
“I am staying in shape so that when I have my official date, I can really hit the gym and be 100% focused on the fight and not worry so much about the weight.
“Last year, sure, I wasn’t working out, I wasn’t training and I gained a lot of weight. But I think a lot of people gained a lot of weight last year. I’m not so bad. I’m training and staying active, which matters the most.”
