Fight Previews

Staff Predictions | Mikey Garcia vs. Robert Easter Jr.

Saturday, July 28, 2018, the Staples Center will host a Lightweight showdown between WBC champion Mikey Garcia and IBF champion Robert Easter Jr.

Saturday, July 28, 2018, the Staples Center will host a Lightweight showdown between WBC champion Mikey Garcia and IBF champion Robert Easter Jr. The winner will go home a unified champion and remain undefeated. While Garcia is the betting favorite coming into this bout, his work won’t come easy against the tall and crafty Easter.

Easter will look to secure his name as a force in boxing by beating one of the top names the sport has to offer. Also on the undercard is the return of “King Kong” himself, Luis Ortiz. Ortiz makes his return against Razvan Cajanu, four months after his only loss to WBC champion, Deontay Wilder.

The fights will go live on Showtime at 10:00 pm, EST. Read on to see how the RBRBoxing staff see the title-unification bout playing out and let us know who you think will win.

Round By Round Boxing Staff Predictions - 2020

NameWinLossTotal FightsWin Percentage
Alex Burgos3360.5
Hans Themistode4260.66666666666667
R.L. Woodson4150.8
Robert Contreras6061


Mikey Garcia vs. Robert Easter Jr

Ty Paul, Staff Writer

I’m going with Mikey Garcia in a late rounds stoppage. He’s his best at 135 and his power translates very well at this weight. Easter is coming off a fortunate decision over Javier Fortuna in January.

Mikey is just the better, more polished, gunner in every aspect. I just really don’t see any “dog” in the IBF lightweight champion from Ohio, either, if this fight had to come down to that. Mikey’s bodywork on Easter is something to keep an eye on.

Prediction: Garcia 

 

Andrew Kang, Contributing Writer

Mikey Garcia is supremely confident and seems to be at or near his prime. And he knows his overall skill level and experience is clearly superior to that of Robert Easter. Garcia will dominate in a convincing win.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Robert Easter is easily in the top 3 fighters of his division, but he’s got something to prove here. He didn’t fight his best match in his last bout and needs to show he is the number 1 in the division right now. His only problem is that he has to beat number 1 in the division.

Mikey Garcia came off that two-year hiatus like it was two months. He hasn’t lost a bit of skill and plowed through Easter’s good friend, Adrien Broner. Easter will be his greatest challenge by far, however, it’ll be interesting to see him deal with the taller opponent.

If I have to guess the fight though, I’m gonna have to say Garcia’s ring IQ will carry him to victory by unanimous decision.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Julio Sanchez, Photographer

Prediction: Garcia

 

R.L. Woodson, Staff Writer 

In the words of a fellow Ohioan podcaster, “I’m loyal to my soil.” I’m really rooting for IBF Lightweight champion to have a great performance tonight, in the toughest bout of his career.

However, the champ’s own comments and admissions just haunt me too much to give a nod in E-Bunny’s favor. Robert Easter needed this moment to materialize in order to get serious about his maintaining focus and honing his craft.

WBC champion Mikey Garcia has been quietly preparing for these such moments for years with exemplary dedication and consistent hard work.

As a result of Garcia being a self-starting professional, he coasts to a sound, focused victory behind his superior boxing IQ, a huge advantage in tactical understanding and execution, and solid power.

Easter simply can’t put all of the critical pieces together in just 10 weeks of isolation with new coach Kevin Cunningham in Florida. Garcia’s just not the kind of test you can cram for.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Brianna Rodriguez, Videographer/Reporter

Prediction: Garcia

 

Michael Burnell, Staff Writer

Mikey Garcia continues his aggressive run this weekend when he takes on the very game Robert Easter in a battle of the undefeated 135 pounders. Garcia appears to be ducking no comers and actively seeking out the biggest fights a number of weight classes including an open challenge to 147 pound, undefeated beast Errol Spence Jr.

While it will take both a literal and proverbial voracious appetite to jump to welterweight it is yet to be seen, though Garcia’s taste for titles will be shown in full fashion for all to see on Showtime.

Robert Easter is a tough customer and it is possible that Garcia may ambitiously and unwisely look past him which may prove to be the mistake that derails his plans of ascension. Expect a very close, tough fight that will satisfy pugilistic purists with entertaining exchanges for those more casual. The result will be Garcia by a decision that is closer than may be expected.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Alan Garcia, Staff Writer

Mikey Garcia vs Robert Easter Jr. isn’t too hard a fight to predict. Mikey is on his way up the ranks and he’s been doing so fighting fading names such as Salido, Lopez, Martinez and C+ fighters that seem to serve as steppingstones that hold title belts for rising champions to take, or in this case, unify and for that reason Mikey is the favorite to win. The destination Mikey seems to be steering his career towards is stardom—or so seems to be his goal. Mikey has gone on record recently saying that he plans on moving up to 147 to fight Errol Spence Jr. He’s also previously stated that he wants to fight Vasyl Lomachenko.

The reason for these comments and statements, based on my observation, is for him to remain relevant in such a tough, merciless, sport. For him to reach this goal, however, he has to give an extraordinary performance in order to capture the imagination of the common boxing fan and gain the stardom he’s looking for; and this fight against Robert Easter Jr. will serve as the means for just that.

Despite the height and reach advantage Robert Easter has over Mikey, it won’t be enough to nullify Mikey’s over-imposing offense once Mikey sets the pace and gets the timing down. Perhaps the first 2-3 rounds will be all that Mikey will need to measure and time before going on the attack. Robert Easter Jr. has the tendency to drop his guard and if he doesn’t correct that flaw he’ll be paying dire consequences when Garcia lands those right hooks on Saturday night.

This fight is for Mikey to look good and shine. As a fan of the underdog, my heart says Robert Easter Jr. but my rational mind says Mikey Garcia by KO. Whatever the outcome, this fight seems destined for an entertaining show.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Peter Nieves, Senior Writer

I’m very fascinated with this matchup between Mikey Garcia and Robert Easter Jr. Everyone know Garcia is one of the pound for pound best out there and is rightfully the favorite going into this fight. Easter presents some big challenges for Garcia’s though.

The tremendous height and reach advantage for Easter is what makes the bout interesting. Easter’s last couple performances have been very lack-luster and now with trainer Kevin Cunningham, hopefully, he’s made the correct adjustments to fine tune his skills and actually use his length.

Even with a more well-known trainer, I see Garcia being too skilled to lose this bout. Mikey will use his superior footwork, timing, and boxing ability and stop Easter late between rounds 8-10.

Prediction: Garcia

 

Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief

Mikey Garcia is giving up a lot in terms of reach, but his high ring IQ will come into play and he’ll be able to get inside when needed and land precise shots.

Easter will be game, but I don’t see him outboxing Garcia for 12 rounds.

I’ll take Garcia via comfortable decision.

Prediction: Garcia

 

All photos by Scott Hirano/Showtime

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