Mikey Garcia is eyeing an all-American clash with Regis Prograis after missing out on Manny Pacquiao.
Now that Pacquiao has retired, Garcia has been forced to turn his attention elsewhere, starting with Sandor Martin at Chukchansi Park in California on Saturday night.
And with the welterweight division in a state of flux, Garcia says he still has unfinished business - and Prograis is his top target.
The New Orleans native, 30, is coming off a sixth-round TKO victory over Ivan Redkach earlier this year.
The 33-year-old told BoxingScene,com: “The idea I had in talking with Eddie and the team was to get through this fight, get this done and push for a fight with Regis.
“That’s the same idea we had as a team. We’re still going to push for that fight. However, if there is an opportunity to fight for a world title, we are going to take that opportunity and jump on that.
“But the idea is to get back to conversation, in talks with Team Prograis and secure that fight.”
Garcia even said he is EXCITED at the prospect of facing Prograis, who has beaten every fighter he has faced apart from undisputed super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor, who handed the New Orleans native the first loss of his career in October 2019, winning by majority decision.
The American added: “I was very excited to get the Regis Prograis fight.
"That’s the fight that we were pushing for, for several months.
“Unfortunately, the scheduling, the timing and the budget was not available to promote it and put a fight of that kind together and promote it in the short amount of time we had for this fight.
"It just didn’t make sense. It didn’t happen. I also wanted the Regis Prograis fight more than anyone else. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen.”
Sadly, that has pretty much been the story of Garcia's career thus far. He always seems to be on the cusp of something great, only to miss out for one reason or another.
However, Garcia sees this weekend's show on DAZN as the perfect opportunity to push him into title contention, or even better still a sought-after fight with Prograis.
He has also referred to the 28-year-old Martin as 'a very good fighter' since their fight was announced in September.
Garcia insisted he is taking the fight seriously on Saturday, two years after his defeat to Errol Spence Jr, where he blamed a discrepancy in size for the loss.
He told World Boxing News: “I want to pursue big fights, title fights, and be recognized as one of the best fighters in the world once again. This is another step in that direction.
“I was interested in Manny and Regis, but we weren’t able to get those fights and we landed on Sandor Martin, and he is a very good fighter.
“He’s a southpaw, he’s relatively unknown in America but worldwide and in the sport, people know him.
“He’s got a great record at 38-2, he’s hungry for a big opportunity like this and wants to capitalize on it.
“Sandor knows a win on Saturday would catapult his name into the mix for the fights that I want. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy night at all.
"But I am planning on fighting the very best Sandor Martin.
“I am going to show all my skills and show that I am a force to be reckoned with.”
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