Saturday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Mikey Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs), the four-division champion from Ventura, California, faces Jessie Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs), the two-division champion from Las Vegas, Nevada, in a welterweight showdown streamed live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

 

Garcia and Vargas are fighting men who can box as well as punch. Jessie prefers the former, Mike the latter, but win, lose or draw, their performances are always topnotch, even when climbing the highest mountain, like when Vargas fought Manny Pacquiao in 2016, or when Mikey lost a decision to Errol Spence Jr. a year ago

 

“This is my first time working together with DAZN and it’s been great,” said Garcia at the final presser before the fight. “This is a tremendous card, a stacked card with world championship fights. I’m here to do one thing and take over the show. There’s a lot more to Mikey Garcia. I’m going to display all my skills and be a contender in the welterweight division. We landed on Vargas because he’s a two-weight champion, solid career, big size, and has height. He’s everything that people have been telling me I shouldn’t be fighting, but I’m going to do everything I can to win this fight. I expect the best Jessie Vargas and that will allow to me display all my skills. I don’t want easy fights. This will be a great matchup because Jessie is a warrior. It will push me to get the best out of me.”

 

These guys are solid professionals. They will touch gloves before the opening bell and embrace when it’s over. Good sportsmanship is in their DNA. Garcia and Vargas are also friends. They’ve known each other for years. But business is business. It’s not personal. Both men will fight their heart out.

 

“Jessie is a great person,” Mikey said, “but inside the ring we’re competitors. He’s coming to knock me out, and I’m trying to do the same, but that will make it a memorable night. Tune-in to DAZN, it’s going to be fireworks all night long. We’re going to finish it off with a bang, Jessie and myself. There’s a lot more to Mikey Garcia.”

 

Vargas may lack Garcia’s all-around skills, but he’s a naturally bigger man knows his way around the ring.

 

“We have a big night ahead of us against Garcia,” said Vargas. “I’m very much prepared. I know what’s ahead of me and I know the opportunity in front of me. I trained my ass off for two months, following the game plan. I’ve never looked this good in the ring. I’m feeling good. The moment the bell rings it’s fight time. I plan on giving a fantastic performance so you acknowledge that I’m the best in the division. This isn’t an easy fight but either way I’m coming to win. Mikey is a good fighter and I’ve looked into some of his past fights. I’ve done my homework.”

 

The card gets underway with heavyweights Joseph Parker and Shawndell Winters butting heads. The second fight will be Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar making the first defense of his WBC flyweight title against undefeated Jay Harris. The co-main event features shooting star Kal Yafai in defense of his WBA super flyweight title against veteran boxing legend Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.