By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com
When I was a young boy, I was blessed to have spoken to the older men who saw and lived boxing before my time. It was an education that I consider priceless, learning from the old timers about their days following the sport.
In the early 1960’s, my uncle would take me to the boxing and wrestling matches at the historic Olympic Auditorium. It was a 100 mile trip down south on the Greyhound Bus, from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, and I consider this to have been my grand introduction to the sport, and the time I fully began to enjoy the live moments of professional boxing.
My uncle once told me about a boxer he liked back in the 1950’s that he saw fight many times at the Olympic and at the Hollywood Legion Stadium. He a was young featherweight of Mexican descent, Rudy Garcia, who was born in East Los Angeles on April 12, 1929, and attended Roosevelt High School. Rudy was an outstanding amateur, winning 56 of 58 bouts, including the California Golden Gloves featherweight title.
Rudy started his pro career on August 24, 1948, and he fought a few of the greats such as Billy Peacock, Gil Gadilli, and Lauro Salas. At the age of 21, he won the vacant California State Featherweight title by stopping Harold Dade in the 11th round on July 14, 1950, at the Hollywood Legion Stadium.
Rudy was managed by Lee Boren, who also managed Art Aragon. He retired in 1958, after a nine year boxing career, with a professional record of 35 wins, 13 losses, and 1 draw, with 19 wins by knockout.
A true ring warrior and liked by all who knew and followed him, Rudy Garcia died peacefully on February 1, 1996 (Age: 66).