Alex García (boxer)
Alex García (born December 2, 1961) is a retired Mexican-American boxer, who competed from 1987 to 2005 in the heavyweight division, best known for his short but nevertheless outstanding amateur career in 1986, and later to be a contender in the 1990s. Early years. García grew up in San Fernando, California. First, he was a pitcher and shortstop playing in kid leagues. Then, he was an all-league middle linebacker at San Fernando High School. Later he became a gang member, and eventually served five years in California state prisons at Soledad, San Quentin and Chino , for involuntary manslaughter after stabbing a rival gang member. Upon his release, he found himself training at the Jet Center, where he took up boxing. He was mentored under former middleweight William “Blinky” Rodriguez at the Benny's Jet Center martial arts and boxing complex in Van Nuys, California. "For two years, since he got out of prison, he's been working hard six days a week ... showing desire and discipline," Rodriguez said on his trainee. "He's got 200 street fights. If a guy goes after you with a bumper jack, you better be elusive," said Rodriguez. Amateur career . García rapidly began dispatching his foes at the amateurs. He won the Southern California Golden Gloves title and went on to win the National AAU Championships Super Heavyweight title in Beaumont in April 1986. "It was my best fight," said Garcia in the understatement of the tournament. Longtime amateur boxing people called Garcia's performance a surprise. William Pendleton of the U.S. Amateur Boxing Federation board of governors said of his performance at the nationals: "Here was a guy who came in totally from the cold and won the gold medal." He lost a close decision to Wesley Watson prior  to the nationals, but avenged that defeat when he stopped Watson in two rounds to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the 1986 World Championships. He was training for the world championships in a parking garage converted into a boxing gym at the Sands Regency Hotel in Reno. at the world championships he defeated all his opponents on to his way to the finals, to losing the final to Teófilo Stevenson, winning the silver. Stevenson, a veteran of international boxing, age 35, with a 20-year-long career, won for the 301st time, knocking down Garcia, whose amateur  record stood 17–2. "Winning by a knockout is just like a baseball player hitting a home run," said Stevenson after he knocked out García. "I want to fight him again. I want to redeem myself," said García after his defeat in the hands of Stevenson. García claimed he never lost in hundreds of street fights. "I always wanted to box, but I just never took the time to go into the gym and train; I was having too much fun on the streets," he said to the press. "There are some things you can't coach. He's got natural  athletic ability. He's got durability, heart, power and he's come along real fast. When we went to the world championships, a lot of guys came up to me and asked me how many fights he'd really had. They couldn't believe he'd only fought 18 times and he was fighting for the gold medal in the world championships with that few fights," said his coach Rodriguez. García has been invited to work out at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. García also sparred with Mike Weaver, the former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion. García said he was  a little wary when he first got into the ring against Weaver. Instead of boxing in the 1986 Goodwill Games, García chose to rest. He soon fought at the 1986 USA−USSR boxing duals, where he fought Vyacheslav Yakovlev (who also lost to Stevenson at Reno by majority decision,) in a match-up on July 26, and exhibition bout on August 2, losing him twice in a row, both time by unanimous decision. "I told myself I was going to become a fighter, going to stick with it. It was a big adjustment getting out (of prison). You get institutionalized, get  out of the habits of normal life. Although I wanted to be a boxer, I never thought I'd come this far this fast," said García on his progress. Highlights. Southern California Golden Gloves (+201 lbs), Los Angeles, California, 1986: Local match-up (+201 lbs), 1986: National Championships (+201 lbs), Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas, April 1986: World Champ Box-offs (+201 lbs), Caesars Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, April 1986: USA−USSR Middle & Heavy Duals (+201 lbs), ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California, July 1986: USA−USSR Exhibition (+201 lbs), Houston, Texas, August 1986: 1988 Olympics. He wasn't sure whether he would wait until  after the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, because, once he wanted to turn pro immediately. This accounted for a brief hiatus, and finally, having 21 amateur fights under his belt, with a record of 17 wins (13 by knockout,) and 4 losses, García turned pro. Professional career. He started his pro career in California in 1987 and, apart from a cut stoppage loss against Dee Collier, dominated his opposition on his way to contention. Notable opponents at beaten by García at this stage of his career included Eddie Gonzalez, Rocky Sekorski, and Jerry Goff. In 1992 he won  the NABF title against Jerry Jones. After three successful defenses, and with a fight against Riddick Bowe in the advanced planning stage, he took a warm-up fight against Mike Dixon who KOd him by catching García with a blow to his temple. However, soon after in a rematch fight at the "Brady Theater" in Tulsa, OK in May 1994, Alex García won a unanimous decision against Mike Dixon. García never was a serious contender again, drawing with James Warring and getting KOd by Garing Lane. In 1994 he lost his NABF title on points to fringe contender Joe Hipp , in 1995 he lost on points to Buster Mathis Jr.