Last Friday, May 24, from the well-known and expansive Bing Crosby Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego, Calif., 30-year-old featherweight Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia (11-3-2, 3KOs), of Vista, CA, made a successful return to “America’s Finest City” with a fierce first-round stoppage of seasoned southpaw Cesar “Mayu” Garcia (8-14-1, 4KOs), 24, of Ensenada, MEX., in the six-round featherweight co-feature on Bobby D. Presents’ “San Diego Fights.” The hometown return of “El Gavilan” was the first installment of seven monthly shows scheduled at the fairgrounds by Bobby D. Presents, and the six-bout card — headlined by Khabir “The Crazy Russian” Suleymanov’s ten-round NABA title victory over Michael Ruiz Jr. — lived up to expectations for local fight fans there to support their communities professional boxers in a successful and lively night of rumbles.
Garcia was coming back after a nineteen-month layoff which saw him drop close and controversial back-to-back losses to undefeated Abraham Lopez and Bernabe Concepcion in April, and October of 2011, respectively, after having taken out highly respected prospect Alejandro Lopez in February of that same year. Though Garcia did not get the nod versus Lopez and Concepcion, he took them both to hell and back in highly entertaining bouts that Garcia, and many alike believe “El Gavilan” won.
After a little time away from the sweet science Garcia came back to the sport of boxing guns blazing and rocked the Bing Crosby Hall in front of his cities adoring fans. Though it was quick, it was a delightful display of violence when it happened. Like a hellion doing what comes natural, Garcia scorched Cesar “Mayu” in the first round with a determined body attack that at best bruised Cesar’s ribs, or worse, broke them.
Aaron entered the fight pressing forward as his opponent circled the perimeter of the ring, taking a right hand to the head from Garcia in the process. Garcia’s defense was tight and he began working the body with determined rights and lefts midway through the round. Garcia badly hurt Cesar with a booming left hook to the ribs that dressed “Mayu’s” face in agony as Garcia followed that with a massive right hand to the other side of Cesar’s torso. Needless to say, Aaron looked sharp. Garcia’s high caliber body assault had taken something out of Cesar as he was gasping for air while looking for a place to hide.
In-between rounds Cesar “Mayu” stood in his corner holding his ribcage with a clear and visible pained expression on his face, possibly due to broken ribs. After ringside physician Bear Gamboa and third man in the ring Tony Crebs came to that conclusion after a quick inspection, the fight was stopped and Garcia was awarded a TKO victory at the 3:00 mark of round one.
“It felt good to be back. Sorry it ended quickly but I’m on a mission,” said Garcia after the fight.
Garcia brought the loudest following that went nuts and erupted in jubilance when Tony Crebs waved off the bout and awarded their guy a much deserved and impressive victory in his long overdue homecoming. When I asked Garcia’s trainer Vince Parra if Aaron would be fighting at home on a more consistent basis his answer was short and sweet, “That’s the plan.”
“I’m already back to training and hope to be fighting again in three weeks. I just want to fight. I’m going to be champion, and I’m taking my army of fans with me,” stated Garcia
Leading up to the Cesar “Mayu” fight, Garcia began using a strength and conditioning coach — Alan Roach (no relation) — for the first time in his career and believes it could be the difference between losing and winning the close fights he’s been in but come up short.
“Yes, absolutely I believe I would have won those fights if I had been doing strength and conditioning beforehand. Times have changed in boxing and you have to change with them. I feel better physically than I ever have in my career,” assessed Garcia.
“I think anytime you look to improve on your skills by adding extra strength and conditioning, it can only help in the long run. And maybe give Aaron that extra power that he’s lacked in the past, so it’s great,” added Parra.
So what’s next for Aaron Garcia?
“He’ll be back in the gym Monday and we’ll get ready for a date probably within the next month,” declared Parra.
In other action, southpaw Leon “Third Generation” Spinks III (5-0-1, 3KOs) easily dominated Dominic Coca (8-3, 2KOs) by unanimous decision in a four-round lightweight bout.
In a controversial call, younger brother of junior welterweight contender Mercito Gesta — featherweight Anecito “Dondon” Gesta Jr. (2-2) lost a four-round majority decision to Pablo Cupul (7-12, 4KOs). I had Dondon winning the fight three rounds to one. Though Dondon was moving backward, and did visibly tire, he landed the heavier punches at a higher rate. Gesta was landing huge uppercuts and hooks, even stunning Cupul early on, but Cupul was tough, landing shots of his own while always moving forward, and judges like that.
Jonathan “Johnny Boy” Quiroz (5-1, 1KO) took care of Jesus Sandoval (0-2) by unanimous decision in a four-round flyweight bout.
The evening’s opener saw James “Hollywood” Taylor (3-1) beat Andre Ewell (0-4) by majority decision.