Robert Garcia: “I do not feel the urge of getting back at Pacquiao. Pacquiao is one of the best in history!”

Robert Garcia is considered to be one of the very best trainers in the sport, having won trainer of the year in 2012 and having gained the praise of many in boxing for his work with stars Nonito Donaire, Mikey Garcia, and most notably Marcos Maidana. Garcia is now less than 2 weeks away Mayweather-Maidana II, and he looks to become the first trainer to put a blemish on Floyd Mayweather’s perfect record.

In Part 2 of my “On The Ropes” interview with Robert Garcia, I get his thoughts on the two biggest stars in the sport today. Garcia talks about Brandon Rios’ defeat to Manny Pacquiao, and if he feels any need to avenge the loss. Robert also gives his views on the upcoming Pacquiao-Algieri bout, and if we could see an upset. Additionally, Garcia gives his prediction for ‘MAYHEM’ and the future of Maidana should he lose. Here is what Robert Garcia had to say.

Jenna J: Being that you lost with Brandon Rios against Manny Pacquiao, do you have any urge to go out there and train a fighter to beat Pacquiao?

Robert Garcia: Not at all. Just the fact that Brandon Rios — a street boy that was in and out of jail, involved with the wrong people — for a kid like that to come back and make it to where he’s made and be in the opposite corner with Manny Pacquiao, that’s already a winner right there.

I do not feel the urge of getting back at Pacquiao. Pacquiao is one of the best in history, and just the fact that we’ve made it that far is what pleases us. We tried to win, we tried everything possible but Pacquiao is Pacquiao. Very few can say they’ve ever beat Pacquiao. He’s beat people like Cotto, De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton — those are guys that are gonna be in the Hall of Fame.

Just the fact that Brandon went in there and was able to fight 12 rounds with Pacquiao, that’s already doing better than what Cotto and De La Hoya did. We’re happy with what he did and we got nothing personal with Pacquiao, he’s actually a great, great person. He’s a great role model and we admire his career.

Jenna J: Speaking of Pacquiao, he’ll be taking on Chris Algieri. Some people are saying that Chris Algieri can give some problems to Pacquiao. Do you see any trouble there?

Robert Garcia: Look, Pacquiao is that one that a couple of fights ago, people thought he was already done — especially after he lost to Marquez. He came back and beat Rios and looked very fast, was very fast and powerful. Then he beat Timothy Bradley and does it in a very convincing way.

I think Pacquiao is still doing really good, he’s got a bright future. Chris Algieri is an awkward boxer that could give him problems. Nobody thought Chris Algieri could beat Provodnikov and he did. He’s one that nobody believes in and could come up with a surprise.

I would be happy for Algieri, he’s a great person, great kid. He trained with me for a couple of fights and he’s a very dedicated person, so I wish him nothing but the best, but the fight’s not easy. The fight is hard, hopefully he does good.

Jenna J: Going back to the fight you have upcoming against Mayweather on September 13th, what is your official prediction for that fight?

Robert Garcia: When you guys see Marcos Maidana, it’s gonna be a very exciting fight. People are never going to regret ordering the fight and paying for the fight because he gives everybody a great fight. This time we’re gonna be in better condition, better shape, more sparring, better sparring partners.

I think we’re gonna give the world a better fight, and if a lot of people thought we almost won the first one, this time we’re planning on going out there and upsetting Mayweather.

Jenna J: Marcos Maidana has mentioned that if he doesn’t win that fight, that he might retire. Do you see any chance in that?

Robert Garcia: I could see that happening because Marcos Maidana was already planning on retiring after his fight with Devon Alexander. He got another shot to come with me and he fell in love with the sport again. It’s already been over two years, he’s a family man. Even though he just turned 31, he loves spending time with his wife and kids.

I can see that happening, but there’s a lot of big fights out there. I know that his manager, myself, we could make some phone calls and talk about different fights out there that could make him a lot of money and that he could actually win.

He’ll probably give it another shot, but I know the way he thinks and yeah, if he didn’t get Mayweather, he was planning on retiring already, or at least for the rest of the year he didn’t want to fight. He didn’t want to know anything about boxing because that’s the way he is back home, he spends time with his wife and family, that’s the type of person that he is.

Jenna J: Can you let the fans know about everything that’s going on in the Robert Garcia gym. Any fighters you want to let them know about?

Robert Garcia: Everything’s great, we have a full gym every day from 10 in the morning to 6pm with all my professionals. We have world champions, Jesus Cuellar is defending his title on September 11th in Vegas. Then I have Marco Antonio Rubio, who’s already in the gym — he’s gonna fight Gennady Golovkin October 18. We’re staying busy.

After 6pm we get a hundred kids that come to my gym and are out of the streets and doing a great job being in the gym and being part of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. We’re keeping them out of trouble, and to me that’s probably one of the most pleasing things that I get. When I see the doors opening and one hundred kids walk into them gym.