Some people still believe the world is flat.
Many of them also probably think that Antonio Margarito's corner is in a strategic mismatch against Coach Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao's Svengali.
To the contrary, because I'm among those who believe that former IBF junior lightweight champion Robert Garcia is the Next Generation successor to Roach.
Roach turned age 50 on March 5 while Garcia became 35 on Jan. 29.
Apparently, Filipino Flash Nonito Doniare agrees, since he is being tutored by the Oxnard, California, ex-fighter.
Many don't know Garcia's early background as I do, having been his co-manager when he was a world champ. "Grandpa" was practically raised in the confines of La Colonia Boxing Gym by his father, Eduardo.
Poppa G took two skinny kids, his son and one named Fernando Vargas and brought them to world titles.
The innate toughness of Robert must come from his father who wound up in Oxnard because he was a migrant worker, whose hands bled every day from picking fruit, mainly strawberries, in the fields.
So there's no worry about Robert's work ethic.
Garcia and Margarito seem to have a certain chemistry working for them in the runup to the Pacman bout Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium. It's a natural fit since they literally speak the same language and both know what it takes to become a world champion.
But Margarito is meeting a monster in peak career Pacquiao.
Garcia got crunched when he ran into a whilrwind named Diego "Chico" Corrales.
In compiling a 34-3 pro record with 25 KOs, his only other losses were to Joel Casamayor and Ben Tackie.
One of Garcia's most impressive outings came against Cuban toughie Ramon Ledon in Atlantic City in 1998.
Garcia, floored in round two, bounced back twice deck and stop Ledon in the fifth round.
Even against the great Corrales, who dwarfed him in size, Garcia was competitive, trailing on two cards and being even up on the third when the bout was halted in the seventh round.
Yes, Corrales was the much bigger man when he fought Robert just like Antonio is the much bigger man in the ring with Manny.
The Garcia fistic tradition doesn't end with "Grandpa."
His older brother, Danny, is training hot contender Vicious Victor Ortiz and we might have a brother in opposite corners bout forthcoming if and when Golden Boy's Ortiz tries to settle a feud with Robert Garcia-trained, Top Rank prospect Brandon Rios.
(Rios and Ortiz both used to live in Garden City, Kansas, of all places.)
Roach obviously knows his fighter better than Robert does Tone Loc. This is the second time Garcia has handled his fellow Mexicano. Garcia was in the TJ Tornado's corner in a meaningless tuneup bout against a Roberto Garcia (no relation to the trainer).
But a mismatch of trainers?
I don't think so. His guy may lose but Garcia is up to the task and I'm convinced his fighter will make a strong showing, win, lose or draw.
A draw?
Wouldn't that be crazy?
Source: Examiner.com
