The last man to handle, or even stand in against Elco Garcia, will be contesting an unclaimed minor title-the USBA's super-welterweight championship-later tonight on the East Coast.
The time seems pretty prime for Garcia, known as "The Animal," to get another fight on his lengthy ledger.
The sporting world's eyes have been once again attracted to squared circles nationwide after Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (48-0, 26 knockouts), swayed all three judges in Las Vegas, Nev., last Saturday following 12 rounds versus Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KO) with practically every major federation's welterweight crown at stake,
Tomorrow night, headlining Red Fists Productions' "Boxing Is Back In The Rockies" pro/am lineup inside Sky Ute Casino Resort Events Center, the Ignacio local will have his first bout since a 2013 loss to Glen Tapia of New Jersey. Tapia is now 23-1 (with 15 KO) before battling Frenchman Michel Soro (25-1-1, 15 KO) for the aforementioned belt in Atlantic City.
Not even a full week before his birthday, Garcia (27-9, 13 KO) will be granting 2011 foe-and victim, via an eight-round uanimous decision-Patrick Thompson a rematch. Thompson now owns an 18-18-1 (8 KO) record.
Longtime manager/promoter Byron Frost said Monday that in addition to Garcia-Thompson II, regional regular Joe Gomez will slug it out with Colorado Springs' Terry Buterbaugh (10-10-3, 4 KO) in the event's other supreme spectacle. A fifth pro bout is possible, but was not yet a reality on Wednesday.
Gomez, "The Ironman, " will also be seeing his first action since 2013 when he improved to 19-7-1 with nine KO's by TKO'ing young Cristian Cabral (now 6-1-1, 3 KO) in the fifth round of that June's engagement.
"I think it's going to be a great crowd," said Frost, Red Fist's head since 2008. "Especially with Elco, Joe Gomez-the Four Corners' 'heavyweights.' Never promoted something this big, but if we do good hopefully we'll be able to do more!"
"Patrick's going to give a good fight," he continued. "Talked with his trainer and he said that Patrick's been boxing a lot.it's going to be good. And Elco.to me he's been training pretty good. He's about 90 percent right now.but he's still got that punching power."
"I know he's going to do well; hopefully he'll go in there and take care of business!"
"I'll be ready for Saturday," said Garcia prior to afternoon training Wednesday. "Let the best man win!"
The pro fights are slated for a 7 p.m. start, following an eight-bout amateur bill beginning at 4.
"It's important," Frost said of the undercard, hosted by GB Boxing, formerly known as George's Independent Boxing Club. "We need to start looking at who's going to be the NEXT boxers to come out of this area."
