(L-R – Kevin Duty, Luis Garcia and Patrick Brown)
PEEKSKILL, N.Y.. (December 1, 2015) – Kevin Dever Sports Management umemezele ukusayinwa Ezingakanqotshwa waseCuba ukukhanya ithemba sosondonzima Luis “The Lion” Garcia ukuze isivumelwano zokuphatha okukhethekile.
Cishe eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule,Garcia (12-0, 9 Kos) eyeke Cuba eMexico kanye boxer esikanye Alexei Acosta. Garcia (12-0, 9 Kos), ngubani bazinza Cork, Ireland, made his professional debut in 2008. He now lives in Peekskill, I-New York.
“Kwaba noshintsho ekudlwana lapho ngithuthela Ireland kunalokho elaliyikho amasonto ayisithupha edlule lapho ngithuthela lapha,” the 28-year-old Garcia explained. “It was a lot harder in Ireland because I didn’t speak a word of English. I learned English from the street, watching TV and reading. It’s not a big change for me to move around because I traveled all over the world when I was a member of the Cuban National Team.”
Garcia engazange alwa eminyakeni emine ngenxa nezindaba odlule zokuphatha, kodwa ukubuya kwakhe ihlelelwe kuyinto lokhu ngoMgqibelo ebusuku, December 5, against an opponent to be determined in a six-round bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. His last fight was a win by eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated (12-0) Alexander Johnson ngoDisemba 30, 2011 e Cabazon, California.
“Kwakungekhona isinqumo sami hhayi ukulwa kule minyaka emine edlule,” Garcia added. “Something happened with my now former manager and promoter. I trained all the time, sparred a lot, and did as much as I could do in the gym. I still had a contract until it expired. I’ve known Kevin for 2-3 Eminyakeni. He asked me why I wasn’t fighting and I told him everything. He said to call him when my contract expired because he wanted to manage me and that’s what I did.
“America inginika ithuba elihle, kangcono kunokuba England noma Ireland, and I’m going to finish my boxing career here. I’m fighting December 5th and taking things step by step. I’m not going to rush. There are a lot of great fighters in the light heavyweight division and I hope to be in the mix next year.”
Ukulwa ezimbili Garcia sika ngaphambi last yakhe emelene Johnson babe umxhwele 2010 knockouts technical owayengumpetha emhlabeni iqhawe Byron Mitchell (28-6-1) futhi Jorge Rodriguez Olivera (19-1), ngokulandelana, e emahlandla yesibili anamithandathu.
“Ngashiya boxing nge ukunambitheka embi emlonyeni wami kodwa ngase ngifuna ukubuyela ku boxing,” wathi Kevin Duty, ngubani co-okwenzayo Garcia kanye Patrick Brown. “I knew him from Ireland and I always wanted to manage this kid. He called to tell me his contract had expired and we worked out a deal that brought him here to live in New York.
“I honestly don’t see any rust watching him spar. I know sparring isn’t fighting but everybody in the gym stops to watch him workout. I ngokwethembeka bacabanga ukuthi, once anakho ezinye ukulwa okuhle ngaphansi ibhande lakhe, yena uzoba olwa phezulu in the light division sosondonzima. Luis Garcia iyona fighter kakhulu engake ngasebenza nabo.”
Garcia, a World Junior Championship igolide medalist, eyeke ngoba badunyazwa emva banqatshelwa endaweni phezu 2008 Cuban Olympic Team, naphezu kwakhe lanqoba ekugcineni Olympic isiliva medalist Emelio Correa, Jr. in the Cuban Olympic Qualifier. Correa is the son of 1972 Iqhawe Olympic Emelio Correa, Sr., owayebizwa usazibandakanya e Cuba amateur boxing lapho indodana yakhe kukhethwe phezu Garcia ukumela Cuba in the 2008 Olympics. Correa lost in the championship final to James DeGale, the Brit ngubani njengamanje yilona International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight titlist.
Not a ejwayelekile ukuzivikela-lokuqala boxer Cuba, Garcia is njengoba puncher crisp ukuthi wangaphakathi abaningi bakholwa lwalunhliziyonye sibheke kakhulu kunanoma iyiphi okwakwenza abashayi-sibhakela Cuba ngubani osuke eyeke eyaziwa, outside of Guillermo Rigondeaux futhi Yuriorkis gamboa, bobabili ziye zaba amaningi-time champions emhlabeni njengoba ochwepheshe.
Garcia is nisebenzela we Phambili Boxing e Peekskill futhi Westchester Boxing Club in White Plains (NY), lapho aqeqeshwe Nick “Knuckles” Delury nomsizi wakhe, umhlaba owabe isihloko inselele Larry Barnes (44-3, 17 Kos). A former No. 1 zibalwa welterweight Olwa in the world, Barnes’ ukulahlekelwa amathathu kuphela njengoba pro kwakufanele Champions emhlabeni Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Saul Mamby futhi Luis Ramon “Yuri Boy” Campus.
“Muhle a kid enkulu, kakhulu smart futhi enenhlonipho,” Delury amazwana. “Kukhona nokugqwala abanye ekubeni off eminyakeni emine, kodwa Luis uhlala omuhle, healthy lifestyle and he hasn’t suffered any damage in the ring. Muhle 28, abafunde, and a true gentleman. It’s been a pleasure working with him. Luis is a gifted boxer. He’s extremely exciting to watch and has a perfect blend of offense and defense.”
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