LOS ANGELES –The future hasn’t arrived for Mikey Garcia. Not just yet. After all, the pound-for-pound contender has already been looking at all of its possibilities for several years.
But a way to the mythical scale’s top pedestal appears to be one step closer today after his thorough victory over Robert Easter Jr. Saturday night in front of a roaring crowd of more than 12,500 at Staples Center.
Garcia scored a knockdown, scored most of the points and then scored an intriguing look at what his future might be.
It looked a lot like Errol Spence Jr.
“I’m here for the biggest challenge,’’ Garcia said after the 1117-111, 117-110, 118-1110 scorecards confirmed what everybody in the arena and Showtime saw.
Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) overwhelmed Easter (21-1, 14 KOs), who was knocked down by a perfectly executed right-left combination in the third round and was never able to consistently employ his advantages in reach and height. But Garcia, a lightweight with two belts (WBC and IBF), did it against a 135-pound fighter. Spence is two divisions heavier at 147. He might have more power than anybody at welterweight.
“I don’t know if there is anyone that is a bigger challenge than Errol Spence,’’ Garcia said. “I know he’s up to fight everyone so let’s make it happen.
“I think it can be made. I think that’s the next big fight coming up.
“I feel I have the power and the skillset to compete in any division up to welterweight. He’s the toughest guy at welterweight, so I want to face him.”
Garcia said all of that while standing in the middle of the ring and looking up at Spence, whose face filled a video screen
Minutes later, Spence left his ringside side and came to ringside to talk to the media.
“Let’s make it happen,’’ Spence said. “It’s an easy fight to make. Showtime wants it.’’
Everybody wants it. The sooner, the better.
“This year,’’ Spence said. “Let’s do it in November.’’
Sounds like the future.
Luis Ortiz says he is 39. Put an asterisk next to that age. Late comedian Jack Benny used to say he was 39. Benny was joking, too. But there’s no joke about Ortiz’ power. It has a young man’s edge.
That enduring Ortiz’ power finished Razvan Cojanu ruthlessly in a fast finish to a heavyweight fight, the last bout before Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter Jr. at Staples Center.
A right, then left from Ortiz (29-1, 35 KOs) dropped Cojanu flat onto the canvas late in the second round. Cojanu (16-4, 9 KOs) tried to get up. But he stumbled around, like a toddler trying crawl across a water bed, finished at 2:13 of the second
San Antonio welterweight Mario Barrios (22-0, 14 KOs) opened the Showtime telecast with a lightning-fast right hand, a dimension that journeyman Jose Roman of Garden Grove, Calif., could neither elude nor withstand.
Roman (24-3-1, 16 KOs), down in the fourth and on his knees in the eighth, was out of options, energy and chances after eight rounds. That’s when his corner waved the white towel, signaling a timely end.
“I’m ready now,’’ the 23-year-old Barrios said of one more victory toward contending for a major title. “I feel good. Strong.’’
Argentine super-lightweight Fabian Maidana (16-0, 12 KOs), who has more classic boxing skill than Marcos Maidana, displayed some fight-stopping power, dropping Russian Audrey Klimov (19-5, 9 KOs) with a quick combo for a seventh-round stoppage.
Super-featherweight Karlos Baldera (6-0, 5 KOs), a former Olympian from Santa Maria, Calif., fulfilled his credentials as a prospect, overwhelming Mexican Giovanni Caro (27-24-4, 21 KOs) of Mexico City in a fourth-round stoppage.
Lightweight Jerry Perez (8-0, 6 KOs) was a whirlwind of punches and power, leaving Aaron Hollis exhausted and finished in a second-round stoppage.
Southern California junior-flyweight Lina Licona (2-0, 1 KO) scored four-round decision over Judith Hachbold (4-5) of Hungary.
Bantamweight Jose Balderas (4-0) followed brother Karlos’ victory with one of his own, scoring a first-round knockdown en route to a unanimous decision over Alfredo Chanez (6-6, 3 KOs) of Tijuana.
Atlanta light heavyweight Brandon Ganton (7-2, 6 KOs) was the Gracia-Easter card’s second winner and the first to score a stoppage, finishing Daniel Najera (7-3-1, 3 KOs) with a succession of punches at 1:35 of the third round.
Luis Coria (7-1, 4 KOs), a Robert Garcia-trained featherweight from Moreno Valley, Calif., did it all, landing punches and scoring a knockdown over six one-sided rounds for a unanimous decision over Guadalupe Arroyo, a Mexican who had a 13th reason to retire added to his 3-13 record.
One big punch from Filipino lightweight Ray Perez (23-11, 7 KOs) landed like an exclamation point and woke up a gathering crowd from the slumber of having to sit through seven dull, slogging rounds. Perez landed it — a long looping hook — for a stoppage of Robert Marroquin (27-5-1, 20 KOs) of Dallas at 1:03 of the eighth.
Empty seats, more echoes than cheers and more fighters on a 13-bout card than fans were there for first bell Saturday at show that would end hours later in the Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter lightweight title fight.
Junior-welterweight Wesley Diana (6-0, 5 KOs), a Fernando Vargas-trained Puerto Rican living Forida, scored first and often, claiming the card’s first win – a unanimous decision over Envicil Dixon (7-21-1, 2 KOs) of Lancaster, PA.
