Twenty-two years ago, two talented Southern California fighters baptized the Staples Center sports arena for prizefighting with a performance hard to top. Can Ryan Garcia equal or surpass their performance?

It’s a lot to ask of anyone.

No longer called the Staples Center, the newly dubbed Crypto.com Arena will be a staging area for Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) who fights Javier Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs) for a regional lightweight title on July 16. Tickets are on sale for the Golden Boy Promotions card streamed on DAZN.

Back on June 2000, Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Shane Mosley became the first prizefighters to perform at the arena located on 11^th and Figueroa Ave. Their match was never topped by any other in that building in terms of excitement and electricity.

When Mosley and De La Hoya traded blows, they were already world champions so its not fair to compare Garcia to either. But the De La Hoya-Mosley fight did set the standard for all future prize fights in Los Angeles.

Garcia (pictured) has a California cool and honesty that’s more associated with tennis pros than prizefighters. His feathers don’t get ruffled when asked about a former mate’s comments or when potential foes deride his former opposition.

When it comes to star power, even the best recognize that Garcia has all the important ingredients like the back of a Kellogs’ cereal box. In the case of the Victorville boxer with the quick snap left hook, the small almost unreadable print would say very, very few professional boxers have all the same ingredients as Garcia.

If you need a more vivid example simply look at the promoter Oscar De La Hoya. No other fighter possessed the same formula as the former fighter from East L.A. who began a Hall of Fame career by winning an Olympic gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Though De La Hoya would later win a world title at age 21, there were slips and trips suffered by the Golden Boy such as knockdowns by Narciso Valenzuela and Giorgio Campanella. He obliterated both after the knockdowns, but many reporters questioned his chin. Of course, after his career was finally over, no one questioned his ability to take a punch after he won world titles in six weight divisions. Not once was he knocked out by a blow to the head.

De La Hoya sees many comparable traits in young Ryan Garcia.

“Ryan Garcia’s performances have proved over and again why he belongs on the global stage with the best,” said De La Hoya who possessed many of the same physical traits and became one of boxing’s biggest attractions in history.

When Garcia faces former world champion Fortuna in the center stage it’s essentially the Southern California fighter’s debut as a main event fighter in the city of Los Angeles. Though he’s fought four times before in the L.A. area, he was never the main event.

This is essentially the big stage debut for the fighter called “KingRy.”

“I’m hungry to show the world I’m the best fighter,” said Garcia. “I’m just eager to show people I’m more than meets the eye when you’re in the ring with me.”

Fortuna, a former world champion, has repeatedly talked about using a win over Garcia to springboard back into world title competition.

“I’m going to knock him out,” said Fortuna.

Garcia doesn’t blink an eye at the prediction made by Fortuna. He’s heard it all before. It’s boxing.

“After I obliterate Fortuna, I hope they support me when I fight Gervonta Davis and support me when I obliterate both of them,” said Garcia about boxing fans.

It’s been 22 years since Mosley and De La Hoya lit up the same arena with their Hall of Fame ability. Will Garcia be the next big thing?

“With Ryan Garcia’s star power and with the promotion behind him we expect a sell-out,” said De La Hoya.

Is this just the beginning?

Looking Back at HOF Inductions

It’s been a few weeks since the Boxing Hall of Fame formally inducted the newest group to its prestigious roster at Canastota, New York. They all deserve to be acknowledged once again. However, due to the ongoing pandemic all three years were lumped together and that’s too many to review in one look.

For the next three weeks I’ll go over their boxing careers briefly.

This week it’s the class of 2020 with Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Sugar Shane Mosley.

I’ll start with Mosley simply because of his Los Angeles roots. When “Sugar Shane” began hitting the boxing circuit it was first as an amateur that people took notice. Though he was an amazing amateur boxer his style was always more suited for the pros.

I remember watching him trade blows with pros like the late Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez and Zack “Attack” Padilla in various L.A. gyms. They were ferocious wars and foretold their abilities as superior fighters. All three would become world champions.

Mosley’s big moment was a showdown with Oscar De La Hoya at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. How big was their fight?

That night Hollywood stars and sports celebrities combined to watch their epic clash including Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson, Salma Hayek and sports legends Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

It doesn’t get bigger than that.

We all know that Mosley would win that night by a razor slim margin and go on to collect world titles in three weight divisions. He came close to knocking down Floyd Mayweather when they fought. I’ll never forget that night. I was sick and barely able to keep my head up after suffering food poisoning. but didn’t dare miss that fight.

The fighter from Pomona, CA. never ducked anyone and was amazing as a lightweight.

His dad Jack Mosley was named Trainer of the Year in 2000 and still works with fighters.

Bernard Hopkins.

The fighter from Philly was one of those angry guys early on who despite being a world champion, felt ignored. Then came his invitation by promoter Don King to the big dance in the form of a middleweight tournament between world champions. That opened the door for Hopkins.

Puerto Rico’s great and popular Felix “Tito” Trinidad had departed the welterweight division and moved up two divisions to the 160-pound middleweights. He knocked out William Joppy in five rounds. Hopkins defeated Keith Holmes by decision and the stage was set.

The original date was September 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. With just four days until fight day, the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center took place and the world stopped. After much discussion the fight was moved to September 29 at Madison Square Garden.

I remember arriving in Manhattan to a seemingly empty city with smoke from the ruins still visible. The area near the ruins of the World Trade Center was still blocked off. People were friendly and eager to resume their lives as they were before the devastating tragedy.

The night of the fight several other major stars like Mexico’s Ricardo “Finito” Lopez performed on the Don King fight card. When the main event was finally announced the fan’s cheers erupted when their hero Tito Trinidad appeared. Many boos were heard when Hopkins appeared.

That night belonged to Hopkins.

The Philly fighter was locked in and took apart the Puerto Rican slugger. Each round seemed to get worse for Trinidad who never stopped trying to land the big blow but was thwarted repeatedly by the defensive moves of Hopkins.

It was apparent that Hopkins felt comfortable and began to pick apart Trinidad. In the 12^th round Hopkins was punishing Trinidad and the fight was stopped by Tito’s father. Hopkins was finally recognized as one of the sport’s best fighters. He would later win a light heavyweight world title at age 49. He retired at age 51. Remarkable.

Mexico’s Marquez

Juan Manuel Marquez had fought for years in Los Angeles and was known very well by those fans and in his native Mexico City. Little did I know that his last fight against Mike Alvarado at the Inglewood Forum in May 2014 would be his last.

Ironically, it’s the same arena where Southern California fans first saw him fight. It also is where I almost didn’t make it out alive. At the time I was suffering from a brain bleed and didn’t know it. I could barely walk out of the arena and would soon be hospitalized for a month.

Marquez was known as a scientific boxer and had been molded by Mexico’s Nacho Beristain. I was at his first attempt at a world title bid in September 1999 when he clashed with Freddie Norwood in Las Vegas. He lost by unanimous decision and was furious by the scorecards. Ironically, Floyd Mayweather was also on the card and defended the super featherweight world title.

The skill level and punching prowess of Marquez led many to avoid him at all costs. It would take four years until he got another shot at a world title when he fought fellow Mexican Manuel “Mantecas” Medina and knocked him out for the vacant IBF featherweight title in 2003.

A year later Marquez would begin a four-fight journey with another legend, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. We all know how that transpired. Four of the most competitive fights ever seen at the championship level. His one-punch knockout of PacMan in 2012 was the pivotal moment in their battles.

I remember watching the two battling when another journalist yelled at me from the other side of press row to get my opinion of who was winning. I motioned with my hand stop so I wouldn’t miss the action. Glad I did, because Marquez suddenly unleashed that right cross that left Pacman unconscious.

Big lesson: never turn your head during a fight, even if you are a journalist. You might miss one of the most iconic knockout finishes in boxing history.

Big Dan

Several promoters also were inducted too. Kathy Duva, Lou DiBella and Dan Goossen were all voted into the 2020 class. All three put on some great fight cards in their time with Duva and DiBella still going strong.

Goossen passed away in 2014. We became friends over the years as our paths crossed many times. While I was in a hospital in May 2014, I received a call from Goossen who wished me well. I was barely conscious but spoke briefly with him, not knowing he was suffering from cancer at the time. When I finally recovered, I expected to see him at a function in early August that year. He didn’t show and I knew something was wrong. A month later the great man had passed away.

It was a big loss to boxing and to his many friends. The Goossen family still has members involved in the sport and remains beloved by all who know them. Big Dan Goossen was one of the best human beings I ever met in the sport. He is truly missed by his friends and family.

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