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Team DSG: Beyond the Boxing Ring

THE DANNY GARCIA STORY BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT LUIS CORTES III – “Success is one thing, impact is another,” is a quote attributed to former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. These words spoken by the greatest inside linebacker in NFL history give a clearer insight to the story between current WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia and the community where he was born and raised: North Philadelphia.
While North Philadelphia is home to several urban neighborhoods with different demographic makeups, it is the predominantly Latino Kensington section where Team DSG (Danny “Swift” Garcia) originates from. It’s where their humble beginnings as a family have shaped both the man and the champion that Danny Garcia has become. As one looks closer at this tale one begins to take notice that this story runs deep for all of the players involved. – a tight- knit family, team, and community. Team DSG has become proof that success and a positive impact are indeed possible if you hail from Kensington.
Garcia fights Keith Thurman on CBS this Saturday. It’s customary that during the continuous promotion for a fight of this magnitude that fans are treated to an in-depth look at the back story of the combatants — what shapes them as men, which in turn tells us why they fight in the fashion that they do. In the case of Garcia, his family’s struggles have been the focus: Having a father (Angel Garcia) that lived a “gangster” lifestyle that included narcotics distribution that resulted in his incarceration. Trying to survive with his mother and siblings in a rough community while his father served his time. Garcia’s reconnection with his father, upon his father’s release from prison. Starting his boxing training at the tender age of ten and realizing early through the guidance of his father and trainer that this sport is serious business. To understand at an early age that in order to be successful and fulfill his dreams, dedication to the craft ruled supreme over every other aspect of life.
Which brings this tale to the role played by the aforementioned neighborhood, Kensington, a neighborhood that was omnipresent in the lives of the Garcia family. During the 90’s, when Garcia was a child, Kensington was best known for being home to many drug addicts and dealers. Crack cocaine hit this working class neighborhood hard. As a result, all of the social ills that come with the drug culture plagued the streets. Unfortunately that is something that still is the case within the confines of the Kensington neighborhood. Currently it is the heroin epidemic that has its tight grip on many members of the community.
Success is defined as being able to accomplish an aim or goal. In the case of many that call Kensington home, success is being able to avoid the awful pitfalls to which many succumb. So for Garcia making it through his adolescence alive is success in itself. Garcia took what many may think is a small example of success and parlayed it with staying focused on his goal of becoming a professional prizefighter. He was able to do this by having several interests aside from the boxing gym. While the pugilistic art form has always been his primary focus, he spent many hours as the local barber for his friends and family. A love for music and playing around with Hip Hop music was also strong and consumed his time as an escape from both boxing and the neighborhood. Garcia continued this formula throughout a successful amateur career that reached its crescent when he was named an alternate on the 2008 US Olympic boxing team.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise when Team DSG purchased a building on a plot of land right outside of Kensington in the Juniata Park section of the city. What followed was the creation of a home base or corporate headquarters for all things Danny Garcia. Upon visiting the complex recently, I got the feeling that Garcia fully understands that while he is a two division champion and in the prime of his career at just 28 years of age, his time inside the ring will not go on forever. He has positioned himself for life after boxing as a brand that is dubbed DSG.
The DSG complex is home to a beautiful barbershop, a private recording studio for his friends and twin sisters (who are singers), a detailing and minor repair body shop, a full time apparel store (set to open soon) and, of course, his own boxing gym. Another form of success and impact is that with all of these business ventures it means one thing for the community: jobs. His barber shop has nine full time barbers.”Danny has set the bar so high, he has my respect and everyone’s in here.” states Haz, the manager of his barber shop. “The gym is open to the public daily, when he is not training for a fight.” This means that many of the youth from the same neighborhood that he once called home can find their solace from the streets at the DSG gym — much in the same way that Garcia did at the Harrowgate boxing gym years ago.
Danny Garcia’s impact on the sport of boxing goes beyond his accomplishments inside the ring. Already a two division champion, a victory on Saturday against Keith Thurman will make him the recognized lineal champion at welterweight. As the first Latino champion in the rich history of boxing in Philadelphia, Garcia is on pace to becoming the best Puerto Rican fighter from mainland United States in history.
If you take a look at the list of all the Puerto Rican title holders, ten names pop off the list in a special way, while four are in a class of their own. Seven of these ten fighters, while born in Puerto Rico, moved to the mainland at an early age and called boxing gyms in the United States home, mostly in New York City. These boxers include Jose Torres, Carlos Ortiz, Eric Morel, Kermit Cintron and, of course, Hector Camacho.
Wilfred Benitez was born in New York and learned to box in gyms throughout the city. However as a professional he spent a huge portion of his time on the island. Currently Benitez has the distinction of being the best Puerto Rican fighter from mainland Unites States. Luis Collazo, also from New York and Jason Sosa from Camden, New Jersey are also on the list with Danny Garcia. It is a small list, but one that should continue to grow.
“For me, Danny is already the best Puerto Rican fighter from mainland U.S.A in history, no matter whatever happens in his career from here on out” quips Haz. Matthew Urrutia, who runs a local bar just minutes away from the DSG complex, loves what he sees happening. “Since his fight against Khan, every time Danny fights we get big crowds. It’s crazy cause these crowds have positive vibes. Everyone is together pulling for him to get the win, cause he represents Puerto Ricans from Philadelphia.” Urrutia brought up a solid point when he stated the following. “Is Oscar De La Hoya less Mexican cause he was from L.A? No, he isn’t.” What is happening on the east coast regarding mainland Puerto Rican fighters is similar to what has happened out west with Mexican-American fighters from states like California, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico. New York, now Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are on the list of states with Puerto Rican champions from the mainland.
You get the sense that even a state like Florida, the home of Keith Thurman, is going to be added to that list in no time. Puerto Ricans are set to overtake Cuban-Americans as the largest Latino demographic in Florida in the near future. “To say that there are currently no real Puerto Rican champions because there isn’t one from the island is just disrespectful.” says Urrutia. “Here is the rub. I’m not even a big fight fan, but I like Roman Gonzalez cause my father is from Nicaragua. I support Danny though, cause he is from Philly and most of my customers are Rican.”
Impact can be a fickle thing. For all the things one can do to positively affect people and a certain place, all of that can be neglected by people outside of your community if the only thing people hear about regarding you or the members of your team is a negative that occurs from a mistake. This seems to be the case with what occurred at the well documented Garcia-Thurman pre-fight press conference in January. (The situation has already been discussed at length, so I won’t hash over the details.)
To his credit, Angel Garcia has gone on record stating that he shouldn’t have said what he did. But if you’re from an area like Kensington in a city like Philadelphia where, as mentioned before, success is something as fragile as staying alive, then when you feel as though you are being disrespected by someone, you strike back. Many times it’s an issue of survival. However what Angel said can’t be excused despite the forum in which it was used.
Moving forward, Danny Garcia is on the cusp of super stardom — something he and his team have to be aware of as they continue with the remaining portion of Danny’s career. With a vacancy on the short list of stars that carry the sport into the future, a victory on Saturday night can go a long way for Team DSG to fill that void. “My wish is that he wins and hopefully fights Cotto. If Chavez and Canelo can fight to see who is the best Mexican, why can’t Cotto and Garcia fight to see who the best Rican is? Plus, it will mean big business for me,” says Urrutia.
Whatever the future holds for Danny “Swift” Garcia,, this much is certain: He is a true success to have made it out of the conditions that he faced as a child growing up in a place like Kensington. His impact on the community can’t be denied and his impact on the sport he loves may be just getting started. Maybe these simple few words from Haz sum it up the best: “Danny’s type of success story doesn’t happen every day, especially when you’re from where he is.”
Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.
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Boxing Notes and Nuggets from Thomas Hauser

In recent years, there has been lavish praise and extensive criticism regarding Turki Alalshikh’s boxing initiative. Some of it has been warranted and some hasn’t. One issue deserves greater comment.
The judging has been pretty good.
Scoring a fight is subjective, which can open the door to bias, incompetence, and corruption.
Most people in boxing know who the good judges are. But some bad ones keep getting high-profile assignments. Why? Because they shade things toward the house fighter which is where the money lies.
When there’s a bad decision in boxing, almost always it favors the house fighter.
Overall, Turki Alalshikh’s fights have been marked by honest scoring.
Oleksandr Usyk went the distance four times against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Fury-Usyk I and Usyk-Joshua II could legitimately have been scored either way. It was in the Saudi’s financial interest (not to mention the interests of Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn) that Fury and Joshua win those fights. Yet Usyk won all four decisions.
Clearly, Turki Alalshikh wanted Hamzah Sheeraz to defeat Carlos Adames. Yet Adames retained his title when that bout was credibly scored a draw.
The list goes on.
Bad scoring trickles down from the top. Judges know that the monied interests behind a promotion want a certain fighter to win and that their receiving lucrative judging assignments in the future often depends on scoring the fight at hand a certain way.
The judging for Turki Alalshikh’s fights so far seems to have been based on the instruction, “Be fair. Get it right.”
Kudos for that.
****
Six years ago after unifying the four major cruiserweight titles, Oleksandr Usyk was honored by the Boxing Writers Association of America as its “Fighter of the Year.” That designation was repeated in 2024 in recognition of his unifying the heavyweight crown.
While in New York to accept his most recent honor, Usyk sat with former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason for an interview that will air in early-June on the nationally syndicated television show Game Time.
Oleksandr came across as thoughtful and likeable during the conversation.
He shared memories of his father: “My father was a military guy. He teach me like a street fight, to work a knife, shooting. I use jujitsu, karate, wrestling, kickboxing. I say, ‘Poppa, what we do this for?’ . . . He says, ‘We prepare’ . . . ‘For what we prepare?’ . . . ‘For life.’”
Usyk won a gold medal in the 201-pound heavyweight division at the 2012 London Olympics. But his father died before Oleksandr could return home and show the medal to him. After Usyk beat Tyson Fury to unify the heavyweight crown, he cried as he proclaimed, “Hey, poppa, we did it.”
“A lot of people in Ukraine who hear that, they cry too,” Oleksandr told Esiason. “Is normal. [Some] people, ‘Hey man! Don’t cry.’ Why not cry? I like to cry.”
Speaking of the size differential between Fury and himself, Usyk noted, “For me, is like a story. David and Goliath. I not afraid because boxing is a sport. Yeah, it’s a guy a little bigger for me. No problem.”
Asked how he would describe his fighting style,” Oleksandr answered, “It’s a wonderful style.”
“Boxing for me is a gentleman’s sport,” he added. “Just respect for my opponents. A lot of people make a show. But if you make a good show and then bad boxing – [with a wave of his hand] PFFFTHF! First in boxing is class and skill; then the show.’
He explained how his training regimen includes holding his breath underwater: “I make like a fight time. Three minutes underwater, one minute rest, twelve rounds. Is hard.”
What’s the longest that Usyk has held his breath underwater?
“My record is 4 minutes 47 seconds.”
The interview closed with Oleksandr appealing directly to the American people to support his Ukrainian homeland in its defense against Russian aggression.
“I’m not political. I’m just [a] man who lives in Ukraine who’s worried for my people.”
And he talked of having brought some Ukrainian soldiers to his fights as guests: “They’re my power, my angels.”
****
Don King has been the subject of an endless stream of anecdotes. Jody Heaps (who spent three decades as a senior creative director and executive producer at Showtime) adds one more to the mix.
“Don had just brought Mike Tyson to Showtime,” Heaps recalls. “We were doing a shoot with Don sitting in a barber chair and he was in a great mood. Toward the end, someone came over to me and said, ‘If Don has the time, could you ask him about his favorite movie scene for a promotion we’re doing.’ So I asked Don what his favorite movie scene was. He told me movies weren’t his thing and said, ‘You tell me. What’s my favorite scene?’
“I talked it over with the crew,” Heaps continues. “Then I suggested the shower scene in Psycho. I figured Don had seen it. Everybody has seen it. But Don told me, ‘I don’t know anything about it. What happens in that scene?’ So I explained that you see Janet Leigh in shower. Then you see a silhouette on the shower curtain. The shower curtain is pulled aside. You see the knife plunging in again and again. And the last thing you see is blood circling down the drain.”
“Don says, ‘Okay; I’ve got it.’ He looks right at the camera and, with incredible drama, starts recreating the scene. Five seconds in, everyone is mesmerized. He takes us through Janet Leigh in the shower, the silhouette on the shower curtain, the knife plunging in again and again, the blood circling down the drain. And at the end, he laughed that loud booming laugh of his and proclaimed, ‘It was a clean kill!’
“There was stunned silence,” Heaps says in closing. “Don made it sound like it was real and he’d been there when it happened.”
****
Like most sports fans, I watched the first round of the NFL draft on April 24. I’ll do the same when the NBA draft is held on June 25. Allow me the following thoughts.
Adam Silver seems like a basketball fan.
Roger Goodell seems like a fan of making money.
Adam Silver looks sincere when he hugs a draftee.
Roger Goodell looks like he wants to take a shower.
Adam Silver comes across as though he has a sense of humor and can laugh at himself.
Roger Goodell comes across as though he doesn’t and can’t.
Adam Silver has James Dolan to deal with and keeps him in line.
Roger Goodell can’t put a lid on Jerry Jones.
Adam Silver is booed in good-natured fashion by fans at the draft.
Roger Goodell is booed with rabid enthusiasm
****
And last; a memory of Turki Alalshikh’s May 2 fight card in Times Square . . .
Security was tight. The police had been instructed to keep pedestrians on the sidewalk moving as they passed the ring enclosure which was blocked from view by a ten-foot-tall fence. Well before the event began, a young man with a video camera planted himself on the sidewalk across the street from the enclosure. A uniformed police officer approached and the following colloquy occurred.
Cop: I’m sorry, sir. You’ll have to move.
Young man: I’m with the media.
Cop: And I’m with the New York Police Department. You’ll have to move.
Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His next book – The Most Honest Sport: Two More Years Inside Boxing – will be published this month and is available for preorder at: https://www.amazon.com/Most-Honest-Sport-Inside-Boxing/dp/1955836329
In 2019, Hauser was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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Hiruta, Bohachuk, and Trinidad Win at the Commerce Casino

Hiruta, Bohachuk, and Trinidad Win at the Commerce Casino
A jam-packed fight card featuring a world champion, top contenders and knockout artists delivered the action but no knockouts on Saturday in the Los Angeles area.
You can’t have everything.
Mizuki “Mimi” Hiruta (8-0, 2 KOs), fresh with a multi-year 360 Boxing Promotion’s contract deal, once again fought and defended the WBO super fly world title and this time against Argentina’s Carla Merino (16-3, 5 KOs) at Commerce Casino.
It was expected to be her toughest test.
Hiruta, who is trained and managed by Manny Robles, showed added poise and a sharp jab that created and established an invisible barrier that Merino could never crack. It was as simple as that.
A sharp right jab from the southpaw Japanese world champion in the opening round gave Merino something to figure out. When the Argentine fighter tried to counter Hiruta was out of range. That distance was a problem that Merino could not solve.
The pink-flame-haired Hiruta looks like an anime figure incapable of violence. But whenever Merino dared unload a combination Hiruta would eagerly pounce on the opportunity. It was clear that the champion’s speed and power was a problem.
For more than a year Hiruta has been training in Southern California and has sparred with numerous styles and situations in the talent-crazy Southern California area. Each time she fights the poise and polish gained from working with a variety of talent and skill partners seems to add more layers to the Japanese fighter’s arsenal.
After six rounds of clear control by Hiruta, the Argentine fighter finally made an assertive move to change the momentum with combination punching. Both exchanged but Hiruta cornered Merino and opened up with a seven-punch barrage.
In the eighth round Merino tried again to force an exchange and again Hiruta opened up with a three-punch combo followed by a four-punch combo. Merino dived inside the attack by the Japanese champion and accidentally butted Hiruta’s head. No serious damage appeared.
Merino tried valiantly to exchange with Hiruta but the strength, speed and agility were too much to overcome in the last two rounds of the fight. Left hand blows by the champion connected solidly several times in the final round.
After 10 rounds all three judges saw Hiruta the winner by decision 98-92 twice and 99-91. The fighter from Tokyo retains the WBO super fly title for the fourth time.
Bohachuk Wins
Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk (26-2, 24 KOs) defeated Mykal Fox (24-5, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision but had problems corralling the much taller fighter after 10 rounds in a super welterweight match.
It was only the second time Bohachuk won by decision.
Fox used movement all 10 rounds that never allowed Bohachuk to plant his feet to deliver his vaunted power. But though Fox had moments, they were not enough to offset the power shots that did land. Two judges scored it 97-93 for the Ukrainian and another had it 98-92
“Good experience for me,” said Bohachuk of Fox’s movement.
King of LA
In a super featherweight match Omar “King of LA” Trinidad (19-0-1, 13 KOs) dominated Nicaragua’s Alexander Espinoza (23-7-3, 8 KOs) but never came close to knocking out the spirited fighter. But did come close to dropping him.
The fighter out of the Boyle Heights area in the boxing hotbed of East L.A. was able to exchange freely with savage uppercuts to the body and head, but Espinoza would not quit. For 10 rounds Trinidad battered away at Espinoza but a knockout win was not possible.
After 10 rounds all three judges favored Trinidad (100-90, 99-91, 98-92) who retains his regional WBC title and his place in the featherweight rankings.
“I’m living the dream,” said Trinidad.
Maywood Fighter Medina on Target
Lupe Medina (10-0, 2 KOs) proved ready for the elite in knocking down world title challenger Maria Santizo (12-6, 6 KOs) and winning by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a minimumweight match up.
Medina, a model-looking fighter out of Maywood, Calif, accepted a match against Santizo who had fought three times against world titlists including L.A. great Seniesa Estrada. She looked perfectly in her element.
Behind a ramrod jab and solid defense, Medina avoided the big swinging Santizo’s punches while countering accurately. For every home run swing by the Guatemalan fighter Medina would connect with a sharp right or left.
In the fifth round, Santizo opened up with a crisp three-punch combination and Medina opened up with her own four-punch blast that seemed to wobble the veteran fighter. Medina stepped on the gas and fired strategic blows but never left herself open for counters.
Medina didn’t waste time in the sixth round. A crisp one-two staggered Santizo who reeled backward. The referee ruled it a knockdown and Santizo was in trouble. Medina went into attack mode as Santizo pulled every trick she knew to keep from being overrun by the Maywood fighter.
In the last two rounds Medina seemed to look for the perfect shot to end the fight. Santizo kept busy with short shots and stayed away from meaningful exchanges. Medina also might have been gassed from expending so many punches in the prior round.
The two female fighters both seemed to want a knockout in the eighth round. Santizo was wary of Medina’s power and dived in close to smother Medina’s firing zone. Neither woman was able to connect with any significant shots.
After eight rounds all three judges scored in favor of Medina 77-74, 76-75 and 80-71.
It was proof Medina belongs among the top minimumweight fighters.
Other Bouts
In a super welterweight fight Michael Meyers (7-2) defeated Eduardo Diaz (9-4) by unanimous decision in a tough scrap. Mayers proved to be more accurate and was able to withstand a late rally by Diaz.
Abel Mejia (8-0) defeated Antonio Dunton El (6-4-2) by decision after six rounds in a super feather match.
Jocelyn Camarillo (4-0) won by split decision after four rounds versus Qianyue Zhao (0-2) in a light flyweight bout.
Photos credit: Al Applerose
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David Allen Bursts Johnny Fisher’s Bubble at the Copper Box

The first meeting between Johnny Fisher, the Romford Bull, and David Allen, the White Rhino, was an inelegant affair that produced an unpopular decision. Allen put Fisher on the canvas in the fifth frame and dominated the second half of the fight, but two of the judges thought that Fisher nicked it, allowing the “Bull” to keep his undefeated record. That match was staged last December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, underneath Usyk-Fury II.
The 26-year-old Fisher, who has a fervent following, was chalked a 13/5 favorite for the sequel today at London’s Copper Box Arena. At the weigh-in, Allen, who carried 265 pounds, looked as if he had been training at the neighborhood pub.
Through the first four rounds, Fisher fought cautiously, holding tight to his game plan. He worked his jab effectively and it appeared as if the match would go the full “10” with the Romford man winning a comfortable decision. However, in the waning moments of round five, he was a goner, left splattered on the canvas.
This was Fisher’s second trip to the mat. With 30 seconds remaining in the fifth, Allen put him on the deck with a clubbing right hand. Fisher got up swaying on unsteady legs, but referee Marcus McDonnell let the match continue. The coup-de-gras was a crunching left hook.
Fisher, who was 13-0 with 11 KOs heading in, went down face first with his arms extended. The towel flew in from his corner, but that was superfluous. He was out before he hit the canvas.
A high-class journeyman, the 33-year-old David Allen improved to 24-7-2 with his 16th knockout. He promised fireworks – “going toe-to-toe, that’s just the way I’m wired” – and delivered the goods.
Other Bouts of Note
Northampton middleweight Kieron Conway added the BBBofC strap to his existing Commonwealth belt with a fourth-round stoppage of Welsh southpaw Gerome Warburton. It was the third win inside the distance in his last four outings for Conway who improved to 23-3-1 (7 KOs).
Conway trapped Warburton (15-2-2) in a corner, hurt him with a body punch, and followed up with a barrage that forced the referee to intervene as Warburton’s corner tossed in the white flag of surrender. The official time was 1:26 of round four. Warburton’s previous fight was a 6-rounder vs. an opponent who was 8-72-4.
In the penultimate fight on the card, George Liddard, the so-called “Billericay Bomber,” earned a date with Kieron Conway by dismantling Bristol’s Aaron Sutton who was on the canvas three times before his corner pulled him out in the final minute of the fifth frame.
The 22-year-old Liddard (12-0, 7 KOs) was a consensus 12/1 favorite over Sutton who brought a 19-1 record but against tepid opposition. His last three opponents were a combined 16-50-5 at the time that he fought them.
Also
In a bout that wasn’t part of the ESPN slate, Johnny Fisher stablemate John Hedges, a tall cruiserweight, won a comprehensive 10-round decision over Liverpool’s Nathan Quarless. The scores were 99-92, 98-92, and 97-93.
Purportedly 40-4 as an amateur, Hedges advanced his pro ledger to 11-0 (3). It was the second loss in 15 starts for the feather-fisted Quarless, a nephew of 1980s heavyweight gatekeeper Noel Quarless.
Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
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