Mikey Garcia clearly has no intentions of gloving up again.
The former four-division champion from Southern California quietly announced his retirement from the sport last month when he changed his Instagram profile to read “Retired World Champ 126, 130, 135, 140 lbs.” While his older brother and trainer, Robert Garcia, confirmed in subsequent interviews that he was retired, Garcia did not come out with his own statement.
In a recent interview, however, Garcia confirmed the chatter, saying that he has no desire to return to the ring and is looking forward to enjoying his post-boxing life.
“I’m not planning on fighting anymore,” Garcia told Boxing Social. “We’re done. I had a good career, I’m happy with everything. It’s time to move on.”
A native of Ventura who now resides in Riverside, Garcia turned professional in 2006 and would go on to collect world titles at 126 pounds, 130, 135, and 140. He was unable to claim a fifth one at the welterweight limit. In 2019, Garcia went up against welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., only to lose handily on points in their pay-per-view showdown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Garcia’s last fight came as a shock, as he lost to then-unknown Spaniard Sandor Martin via majority decision in their 10-round welterweight contest in October at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California.
Even after his loss to Spence, Garcia, 34, was still considered a valuable commodity in boxing and his name was often mentioned in some potentially mouth-watering fights, including one with 140-pound contender Regis Prograis. There was also some talk–unfounded, it turns out–that a fight between Garcia and rising British welterweight Conor Benn had been explored.
Asked about that potential match-up Garcia said there were never any concrete discussions.
“I never heard of that, man,” Garcia said of a Benn fight. “That’s something social media had. I never had any word about it directly, so, I don’t know what they’re talking about. I have no plans on fighting right now. I’m good.”
Asked to name his most memorable fight, Garcia was unable to do so, claiming each fight was “special” in its own right.
“There have been many, man,” Garcia said. “Every fight was special for a reason. I’m happy with everything that I have accomplished with my career and I’m happy to say goodbye as well.”