By CARLO ANOLIN
American welterweight contender Mikey Garcia is willing to put at least $1 million down the table should the reported fight against Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao pushes through.
Although nothing has been cast in stone yet, Garcia said the much-awaited fight, which has been hyped for more than five years now, has good chances of happening early this year.
One million is the least, but his range may reach from two to five million to bet on himself against the one and only eight-division world boxing champion.
“I’ve said it before. I never said my whole purse. I’m not that stupid. What if I hurt my hand or if I fall or something or something stupid like that? You never know. But if I’m getting a big purse, and I expect to get a good purse, I‘m down to at least one million bucks,” Garcia told boxing scribe Elie Seckbach on his EsNews Youtube channel posted Friday, March 5.
“It’s not official but his team and himself, they like the fight. It makes sense and it’s the best fight that I can also get. If he’s on board, then I’m on board. We should just get everything else, y’know, straightened out. That’s the thing.”
Per Forbes, Garcia had earned $7 million purse in his last fight against Jessie Vargas while Pacquiao had pocketed $10 million against Keith Thurman.
Garcia, 33, admitted receiving a lot of queries on social media regarding some details on the supposed deal but opted to stay mum unless the fight contract is signed.
A long-time friend of Pacquiao, who requested anonymity, earlier told Bulletin-Tempo that the next bout of the Filipino boxer-turned-senator may take place in May.
That said, Garcia, who holds a 40-1 record on top of 30 knockouts, said it would be meaningful for him if he gets to clash with Pacquiao or win the world title at 147 lb (welterweight).
Until then, the American boxer would at least entertain minimal questions from select sportswriters.
“I can’t say. Why would I keep, y’know, saying the same thing over and over. Until it’s official and until we finally have a contract signed then,” added Garcia, who last saw action in February last year with a unanimous decision win against Vargas, a former opponent of Pacquiao.
The 42-year-old Pacquiao, for his part, has not fought since scoring a split decision win over Thurman in July 2019. In late January, Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) was stripped of his WBA super welterweight belt and was demoted as “champion in recess” due to inactivity.
