This weekend boxing fans get treated with a title unification in the lightweight division between title holders Mikey Garcia and Robert Easter Jr.
Mikey Garcia
Mikey Garcia, 38-0(30KOs) is coming off a dominant decision win over then undefeated 140lbs champion Sergey Lipinets, which added a fourth weight class to Garcia’s title belt collection. Although fighting a bigger guy in Lipinets, who is a natural junior welterweight, Garcia had the edge in power, speed, fundamentals and ring generalship. In other words, a typical impressive performance by Mikey. He now moves back down to 135lbs, where the boxing world is anticipating an eventual showdown with fellow P4P great, Vasyl Lomachenko.
In the meantime however, Mikey faces a worthy challenger in fellow title holder Robert Easter Jr
Robert Easter Jr
Robert Easter Jr is undefeated at 21-0 with 14 KOs and is the IBF lightweight champion, coming off a split decision over Javier Fortuna is January, the third defense of that IBF title.
Easter picked up the sport of boxing at age 13, and although he didn’t win any major national or international titles, he gained valuable experience, compiling over 200 amateur fights and becoming an alternate on the US Olympic team in 2012. His friend and fellow Ohioan Adrien Broner encouraged to Easter Jr to pursue a professional career. Now in his sixth year as a professional prizefighter, he’s captured a lightweight title and remained undefeated so far. He takes a big step up in competition this weekend against Garcia, but this is the type of fight he has been looking for, and a win would solidify him immediately.
My Prediction...
First, credit should be given for this match being made. Even though Loma vs Garcia is clearly the biggest fight that could be made at lightweight (and quite possibly the entire sport at this moment), this is absolutely the next best fight that could happen in the division. Sure, Easter has never faced anyone of Garcia’s caliber, but he is a champion who is willing to to unify against other champions, which is something the sport absolutely needs.
Easter poses a threat to anyone at lightweight due to his freakish height and reach, both of which he knows how to use as a boxing stylist. His best chance is to jab and move, frustrate Mikey and time his shots, and get into a boxer rhythm instead of a chaotic slugfest. This is what he will do, but in the end I think that Mikey will adapt to what Easter brings him, and successfully cut the ring off instead of letting Easter out maneuver him with footwork. Although Easter hasn’t faced a puncher like Garcia yet either, he has enough grit to not get blown out of the water early on. A stoppage would likely be later after an accumulation, but I don’t even predict that.
I predict Garcia will win a unanimous decision, after losing the first two or three rounds due to Easter’s reach and lateral movement. There’s no way this is an easy fight for Garcia, but it will be a good way to essentially prepare him for the speed and boxing skills of Loma. I’m hoping that particular mega fight will happen later this year, assuming Garcia wins. I will say however, I think that Robert Easter Jr. has the seeds of greatness in him. Even if he loses, it won’t be the last we hear from him.
Pics:
pic 1 - Showtime via Overblog
pic 2 gfycat
pic 3 MakeaGif
Sources:
http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/364679
http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/631773