FILE — Mikey Garcia knocks down Jessie Vargas in the fifth round during their WBC Welterweight Diamond Championship bout at The Ford Center at The Star on February 29, 2020 in Frisco, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Mikey Garcia isn’t letting Manny Pacquiao off his sights.
Garcia (40-1, 30 knockouts) said that while both camps have yet to reach out to each about a possible fight, the prospect of going up against the sport’s eight-division World champion is nothing but enticing.
“Actually, we have not reached any agreement. I have not communicated with anyone from his team. But I would love it,” said Garcia in an interview with ESPN Deportes, as posted on boxingscene.com.
Garcia and another hard-hitter Danny Garcia have long been pegged as the next opponent of Pacquiao, but with the latter reaching an agreement to challenge WBC and IBF World welterweight champion Errol Spence, Garcia could have a shot at eventually squaring up against the Filipino ring icon.
“I would love it and it would be an honor to go up in the ring with Manny Pacquiao. He is a legend,” said Garcia. “It would be something great and it is the fight that interests me the most.”
The former four-division World champion was one of the best lightweights of his generation, carrying a winning streak that stretched to 39 bouts before he lost to Spence in his challenge for the WBC and IBF welterweight titles.
Garcia has since bounced back from his defeat with a unanimous decision win over former two-division champion Jessie Vargas for the WBC Diamond welterweight belt in February.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since (62-7-2, 39 KOs) July of 2019 when he scored a split decision win over Keith Thurman for the WBA (Super) World welterweight championship.