Former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia 40-1 (30) has spoken about his desire to remain at welterweight ahead of his catchweight bout against European champion Sandor Martin 38-2 (13) at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California on Saturday night.
But Garcia also said he would consider moving back down to 140-pounds if the right fight was available.
The 33-year-old Californian won his first world title at featherweight eight years ago and has subsequently picked up belts at super featherweight, lightweight and junior welterweight.
His 147-pound debut was a baptism of fire when he was on the wrong end of a 12-round drubbing against current WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr 27-0 (21) in March 2019. He bounced back with a points win over Jessie Vargas 29-3-2 (11) in February last year.
Garcia was in talks to face recently retired Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao 62-8-2 (39) but those talks fell through. He was also in discussions to face former WBA junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis 26-1 (22) but those negotiations also broke down.
That is a fight Garcia says he would like to revisit.
“I wanted to stay at 147 to look at fighting for a world welterweight title,” said Garcia, who weighed in at 143.6-pounds for his bout against Martin while the Spanish southpaw scaled 144-pounds.
“We had discussed the Prograis fight at welterweight as he was considering moving up to 147 and on Saturday we were looking to have the fight at 147, but Sandor has been at 140 so we agreed a 145 catchweight which I am not thrilled about but it’s okay.
“I’ve never stepped on the scales at 147, I’ve been 144 or 145 so it’s the same to me. I want to have both options available. If there’s a chance to fight for a belt at welterweight, I am ready but 140 is a more ideal weight for me at my size and body structure, it’s a more comfortable weight for me.
“I understand the boxing business so I was disappointed the Regis didn’t happen, but we move on. I hope that we can make that fight happen soon, if things go well on Saturday and win without any injuries or cuts, I’d want to pursue that fight straight away.
“That is a fight I want, the fans and media want it, but the scheduling and the promotional time needed to build a fight like that just wasn’t there.
“If there’s a good fight at 147 with a big name or a belt, I’d love that. I think I am better built and more developed for welterweight now than I was the first time around.
“I don’t see myself at lightweight ever again, but I can see 140. There are some very good names at the weight, Josh Taylor is a great champion and if some of the guys at 135 look to move up, there’s big fights at 140.
“I just have to keep winning. Victory on Saturday and then getting another win against someone like Regis, I think that should create enough attention to land a fight with Taylor. He’s the undisputed champion and that’s the biggest fight that I could engage in at the weight of course.”