Robert Garcia (American boxer)

Roberto Garcia Cortez (born January 29, 1975), best known as Robert Garcia, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2001, and held the IBF junior lightweight title from 1998 to 1999. He currently works as a boxing trainer, and was voted Trainer of the Year by The Ring magazine in 2011, and by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2012. Garcia is the older brother of professional boxer Mikey Garcia, who himself is a former junior lightweight world champion.

Born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, Garcia grew up and still resides in Oxnard, California, and was trained by his father Eduardo Garcia at the La Colonia Youth Boxing Club. Garcia said that he has been in Oxnard, California, since he was two years old. Garcia said that he considers himself to be a Mexican, and Garcia said that his father and mother are both of Mexican descent. Garcia said that his parents were illegal immigrants until the eighties. Garcia said that he grew up speaking Spanish, and Garcia said that he learned to speak English when he went to school.

Garcia had an extensive amateur career, which included a fight with future Olympic Gold Medalist Oscar De La Hoya.

Known as "Grandpa", Garcia won his pro debut against Tsutomu Hitono at the International Center in Fukuoka, Japan. He accumulated a record of 20–0, which included a win against future champion Derrick Gainer, before challenging for his first regional title.

NABF super featherweight champion

In 1995 he took down the previously unbeaten American Julian Wheeler to win his first belt, the NABF Super Featherweight Championship. He successfully defended his Championship just three months later against Francisco Segura.

NABF featherweight champion

At the Miami Arena, Garcia moved down to Featherweight and beat Darryl Pinckney to win the NABF Featherweight Championship.

IBF super featherweight champion

On March 13, 1998 a then undefeated Garcia (29–0) captured the vacant IBF Super Featherweight Championship with a unanimous decision win over Harold Warren. In his first title defense he knocked out Cuban Ramon Ledon at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey.

His next fight was against two-time World Champion, Puerto Rico's John John Molina. Garcia defeated Molina over twelve rounds, that fight card also featured Mike Tyson, Zab Judah, and Fres Oquendo. He lost the belt in an upset to rising undefeated phenom Diego Corrales. After a win over title contender Sandro Marcos he moved back up in the world rankings.

WBA super featherweight title challenge and retirement

In January 2001, he earned a shot at the undefeated WBA Super Featherweight champion Joel Casamayor. Casamayor won the fight and Garcia retired shortly after beating veteran John Trigg by knockout.

Garcia formally worked as a trainer at La Colonia Gym in Oxnard, California. Notable fighters who have trained under Garcia include Nonito Donaire. Most recently he opened his own boxing gym named Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard, California.

Notable boxers trained

• Miguel Ángel García, the current WBO, and Ring Magazine Featherweight Champion.
• Fernando Vargas, a former two-time World Light Middleweight Champion.
• Brandon Ríos, a former WBA World Lightweight Champion.
• Steven Luevano, a former WBO World Featherweight Champion and made five successful defenses.
• Nonito Donaire, a four division World Champion and current Ring Magazine pound for pound fighter.
• Evgeny Gradovich, a former IBF Featherweight Champion.
• Kelly Pavlik, a former Lineal Middleweight Champion.
• Marcos René Maidana, a former WBA Welterweight Champion and former WBA Light Welterweight champion.
• Antonio Margarito, a former two-time World Welterweight Champion.
• Hernán Márquez, the current WBA World Flyweight Champion.
• Marco Antonio Rubio, the current WBF World Super Middleweight Champion.
• Mia St. John, a , former WIBA, WIBF Lightweight, and WBC Light Middleweight, Champion.
• Brian Viloria, a former WBC and IBF Light Flyweight Champion.
• Joan Guzmán, a former two divisions WBO World Champion.
• Jesus Cuellar, a former WBA Fedelatin Featherweight Champion.
• Christopher Algieri, the current WBO World Light Welterweight Champion.
• Irving García, a Lightweight prospect.
• Felipe Campa, a former WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion.
• Andrew Ruiz, an undefeated Light Welterweight prospect.
• Erik Ruiz, a Super Bantamweight prospect.
• Hanzel Martínez, a Bantamweight prospect and the brother in law of Antonio Margarito.
• Marcos Reyes, a Middleweight contender.
• Victor Pasillas, an undefeated Featherweight prospect.
• Egidijus Kavaliauskas, he represented Lithuania at the 2008, 2012 Olympics Games and is a 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships bronze medalist.
• Michael Finney, a Light Welterweight prospect.
• Jesús Antonio Hernández, a Lightweight prospect.
• Ronald Ellis, an undefeated Super Middleweight prospect.
• Manuel Quezada, a Heavyweight contender.
• Allan Benitez, a Lightweight prospect.
• Alfonso Blanco, an undefeated Light Middleweight prospect.
• Alfonso Gómez, a competitor on The Contender.
• Mark Suárez, a former WBO NABO Welterweight Champion.
• Francisco Contreras, a Lightweight contender.
• Victor Ortíz, a former WBC welterweight champion.
• Abner Mares, the current WBA featherweight champion.

• Quinito Henson, Viloria back to warrior's mentality » The Dean's Corner, philstar.com; retrieved 2012-05-17.
• "Victor Ortiz, Somehow With a Smile". Boxing.fanhouse.com (2009-03-07); retrieved 2012-05-17.
• Rafael, Dan. (2011-01-02) Dan Rafael Blog – ESPN. Espn.go.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-17.