By Norm Frauenheim-
LOS ANGELES – Add words to the advantages that a taller, longer Robert Easter Jr. has over Mikey Garcia.
At least, Easter had them all Friday at the formal weigh-in for the lightweight title unification fight against the favored Garcia Saturday in at Staples Center.
Easter (21-0, 14 KOs) was quick to step up to the microphone and even quicker with talk that suggested an upset was on the horizon after each fighter made weight in front of lively crowd at Staples.
Easter was at 134 pounds, one pound less than Garcia (38-0, 30 KOs), who was right at the limit, 135, for the Showtime-televised bout (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. EST). A single pound appeared to be the only thing Easter gave up. He was an inch-and-a-half taller, six inches longer in reach and decibels noisier.
Throughout the ritual nose-to-nose pose after they stepped off the scale, Easter looked at — and down – at Garcia, talking all the time.
“I just told him that the time has come to fight,’’ said Easter, a Toledo lightweight who holds the International Boxing Federation’s version of the title. “This is a fight to determine who is the best, the best for real.’’
Throughout the long and somewhat tense pose, an unblinking Garcia, a consensus top five pound-for-pound pick, looked up and into Easter’s flashing eyes.
By the time Easter was done talking, Garcia was off the stage and gone without uttering a single word. He let his fans do his talking.
“Mikey, Mikey,’’ they chanted, leaving echoes in what was sure to be heard throughout Staples Saturday night.
The non-televised portion of the card is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Including the Showtime telecast, the card is scheduled for 15 bouts
