Thursday 8 March 2018 22:04, UK
Mikey Garcia has promised complete focus on Sergey Lipinets as he looks to become a four-weight world champion in San Antonio on Saturday.
Garcia (37-0-KO30) will be bidding to join Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez as the only men to win world titles at 126, 130, 135 and 140lbs when he challenges Lipinets (13-0-KO10) for the Kazakh's IBF super-lightweight belt at Freeman Coliseum.
His last title came when he knocked out Dejan Zlaticanin in Las Vegas to win the WBC lightweight belt just over a year ago, but Garcia has not fought since securing a unanimous points victory over Adrien Broner in a second non-title venture up the weights in July.
Garcia is keen to move up even further in weight divisions in the future, looking to join the handful of boxers to win at five different weights, but that does not mean him taking his vastly less-experienced opponent at all lightly.
He said: "At the end of my career, this is the fight that will have opened the door for even bigger fights.
"I plan on moving up and fighting even bigger names. This is the kind of fight that really motivates me and it's going to be the first of many big fights.
"I'm very focused on Sergey Lipinets. The entire camp I've known what's in front of me. I know he's hungry and wants to defend his title. He knows what's in front of him, so I know he'll be in the best shape possible. Lipinets knows what a win over me will do for his career, and it's my job to make sure that doesn't happen.
"I don't have a specific goal in this sport but I know that I need to win more world titles in more weight classes. I know that at the end of my career I'll get the credit that I deserve.
"I'm happy to bring this show to a beautiful city like San Antonio and I just want everybody to come out on Saturday. This is a great boxing city and I know they're going to show up for a great night of boxing. There are lots of candidates for 'Fight of the Night' on this card. We're all hungry and we're all here to win."
Lipinets had a troubled preparation for his toughest fight to date, injuring his hand in sparring back in January, but he is happy with his condition now and keen to take what would be a massive scalp.
He said: "If you've followed my career you've seen that I never take a shortcut. It meant a lot to win a world title but I've really always wanted to fight the best of the best. Mikey gave me that chance and I was eager to take it.
"I have no concerns about my hand at all. My right hand is hungry and it's going to be eating a lot on Saturday night.
"I'm young, I'm hungry and I have a great team behind me. I'm fast, strong and I have all the confidence I need heading into this fight."
Watch Scott Quigg against WBO champion Oscar Valdez in Carson on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action this Sunday from 2am.
