Miguel Angel Garcia Cortez (born December 15, 1987), best known as Mikey Garcia, is an American professional boxer.He is a world champion in four weight classes, having held the WBC lightweight title since January 2017. Previously he held the WBO and The Ring magazine featherweight titles in 2013, the WBO junior lightweight title from 2013 to 2014, and the IBF and lineal light welterweight titles in 2018.
Born to Mexican parents, Miguel Angel’s father, Eduardo, was an amateur boxer and trainer of world champion boxer Fernando Vargas at La Colonia Youth Boxing Club.His older brother, Roberto was a professional boxer and a former IBF Super Featherweight Champion who lost his belt to the late Diego Corrales. His oldest brother, Daniel, was a boxer and trainer. He has been featured on ABC’s show American Latino TV and he talked about balancing studies with the demands of boxing.
Garcia is known as a patient fighter with good punching power, a natural right-hander who likes to switch to southpaw during some of his fights. He turned pro in 2006 and signed with Bob Arum’s Top Rank. Garcia was undefeated in his first 20 professional fights with 17 of them coming by way of knockout.
In April 2010, Miguel Ángel beat the veteran Tomas Villa by T.K.O. in the first round, to win the USBA Featherweight Championship. He then beat Matt Remillard to win the WBO NABO Featherweight Championship. This would not only be the last boxing bout but also the last event Nick Charles would broadcast, Charles would die a few days later from cancer.
In his next fight HBO asked Garcia to turn down a world title shot against Billy Dib to fight on the undercard of Julio César Chávez, Jr. vs. Sebastian Zbik. After his win over Rafaël Guzmán, Garcia sent his well wishes to Genaro Hernández who was struggling with cancer, Hernández would die a few days later. Months later he beat Juan Carlos Martinez in under four rounds at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.
On August 1, 2013 the WBO ordered their junior lightweight champion Román Martínez (27-1-2, 16 KOs) to make a mandatory defence against Garcia.
On December 14, 2013 it was announced that Garcia would make his first title defense against mandatory challenger, 25 year old Mexican boxer Juan Carlos Burgos(30-1-2, 20 KOs).
Top Rank announced on June 28, 2016, after 2 and a half years off, Garcia would be returning to the boxing ring against former world featherweight titleholder Elio Rojas on July 30 on Showtime in a 10-round bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on the undercard of Santa-Cruz-Frampton.
Garcia announced he would be fighting at lightweight to challenge undefeated WBC champion Dejan Zlatičanin (22-0, 15 KOs). Zlatičanin claimed the vacant title by knocking out Franklin Mamani in June and also holds decision victories over the likes of Petr Petrov and former multiple weight world champion Ricky Burns.
On March 12, the IBF wrote to Garcia, giving him until March 22 to decide whether he wants to keep his IBF title at light welterweight as they had a mandatory challenger, Ivan Baranchyk (18-0, 11 KOs) lined up next. On April 17, Garcia vacated the IBF title, confirming he would drop back to lightweight to defend his WBC title. On April 24, WBC president Sulaiman stated Garcia would participate in a lightweight unification with IBF beltholder Robert Easter Jr. in the summer. On May 1, it was reported that the fight would likely take place in Jule or August at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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