Former four-weight world champ Mikey Garcia has seemingly announced his retirement from the sport, and he has done it in a very low-key, quiet manner. As the folks at RingTV.com have reported, Garcia updated his Instagram account, with the description now reading “retired world champ” in the featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight divisions. Meanwhile, a source at Matchroom Boxing, who had promoted Garcia in what will now go down as his final fights, says the retirement announcement seems to be official.
So 34 year old Garcia exits with a fine 40-2(30) record and he did indeed rule the world at four weights. Is Mikey a future Hall of Famer? Did Garcia do enough? Garcia of Oxnard, California went pro in July of 2006 and he went on to defeat some fine fighters, including – Orlando Salido, Juan Manuel Lopez, Roman Martinez, Juan Carlos Burgos, Elio Rojas, Dejan Zlaticanin, Adrien Broner, Robert Easter, and, in his final win, Jessie Vargas.
Garcia, who was beaten only by the much bigger Errol Spence Jr, and, in a huge upset, Sandor Martin, this in October of last year, was never once stopped. Winning belts is of course a whole lot easier here in the modern era, simply because there are more belts out there to win. Still, Garcia’s achievement of winning major belts at four weights – this something only a handful of fighters have managed to do – should not be demeaned. Garcia consistently fought the best and in the Spence fight, when Mikey went for a fifth world title in as many weights, he dared to be great, as the saying goes.
Garcia was a smart fighter, with a big fan following. Garcia gave us some thrills along the way but he was a notably patient, thinking fighter. Garcia has now retired and he has gone out on his own terms. It will be interesting to see what Mikey does now. Maybe he would make a fine trainer? We wish Garcia nothing but the best with his retirement.
