Mikey Garcia Eager to Prove Skills; Chris Arreola Too

RIVERSIDE, Calif.-A loud rumbling diesel engine from a massive burgundy Dodge Ram trumpeted the arrival of some mystery guest as it inched forward on the 200-feet long driveway to the boxing compound on Tuesday.

When the driver emerged it turned out to be Mikey Garcia, the four-division conqueror.

Throughout his career Garcia has rampaged through multiple weight divisions almost in secret. That’s largely because few of his early fights took place in Southern California. Even now he prepares to fight in Texas, not Southern California.

In many ways Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) has been the best kept secret in boxing. Many triumphs over the years have gone unnoticed and that ends on March 16 when he meets welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. (24-0, 21 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It will be shown on FOX pay-per-view.

But more than a few experts have kept tabs on the youngest of the fighting Garcia clan who migrated from Oxnard to Riverside, California more than six years ago. The family then established one of the premier boxing gyms in the world. Almost all of the fighters who train in the hillside compound are recognized killers in the boxing ring.

Guys like Vergil Ortiz Jr., Lindor Delgado, Jonathan Navarro and Hector Tanajara are among some of those young assassins and all bow down to Mikey Garcia; the quasi sensei of the Riverside squad of hit men.

As Garcia moves toward the gym structure the other fighters stop their bag work to pay respect to their leader. He has an air of supreme confidence that was evident all the way back to his early days as an amateur.

“Even when he was young he was the same way,” said brother and trainer Robert Garcia, a former world champion in his day. “He always thought he could not be beaten.”

Back-to-Back-to-Back

Respect goes a long ways for Mikey Garcia. Money and fame are good but respect and recognition for his fighting skills are even more important to the 30-year-old. He’s heard the words, the declarations and taunts from fans and media and seems eager to unleash his full fighting repertoire on the prizefighting world.

“I want to show the world I’m a f*****g bad ass,” said Mikey Garcia almost angrily. “I want to show the media you don’t give me enough credit.”

After losing more than two years from January 2014 to July 2016 to contractual problems with his former promoter, Garcia spent that time out of the prize ring by sparring against much bigger guys on occasion. He could be seen exchanging blows against visiting boxers as small as 122 pounds to monsters as big as 170-plus pounds. Amazingly he could nullify any of their attacks and suddenly make them look vulnerable. It was surreal to witness, yet revealing in showing the vast weaponry at his disposal.

It’s a primary reason all who train in the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy have utmost respect for Mikey Garcia. They’ve seen him in action many times.

As you look at Mikey Garcia speak to the media it’s easy to see this is the moment he’s been anticipating. It’s his moment.

“It’s one of those fights that don’t come along often,” said Mikey Garcia about challenging his third consecutive world champion in a third weight division. “That’s three undefeated champions back to back to back.”

First there was Sergey Lipinets at super lightweight, then Robert Easter at lightweight, and now Spence at welterweight. It’s almost Henry Armstrong-esque.

Back in the 1930s, Henry Armstrong conquered and held the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight championships simultaneously. He almost conquered the middleweight champion but was defeated by Ceferino Garcia.

Rules were made to avoid crossover world champions and now there are added weight divisions like the super lightweights, but Garcia is still eager to prove he can make his indelible mark.

It’s what his whole career has been pointed toward and he relishes the moment.

“I’m real excited to show who I am,” said Mikey Garcia. “Everybody will be surprised at how well I do.”

Nightmare Arreola

Also present at the hillside boxing compound was former heavyweight contender Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola.

Looking svelte and composed, the Riverside prizefighter marveled at the ascent Mikey Garcia’s trajectory has taken over the years.

Back in 2011, when Arreola was among the top heavyweights in the world, he would train in the late Willie Schunke’s hilltop gym in the western portion of Riverside. He would often see the Oxnard native ply his craft against much bigger competition and dominate.

“He does things against guys and they can’t stop him,” said Arreola of Garcia. “I’ve been watching him for years and he’s a hell of a fighter. No doubt.”

Arreola (37-5-1, 32 KOs) is poised to fight on the same March 16^th under card against undefeated Haitian boxer Jean Pierre Augustin (17-0-1, 12 KOs). After a two and a half year absence from the gym Arreola returned last December and defeated Maurenzo Smith by stoppage. Now he meets an undefeated heavyweight prospect on the rise.

“This is the situation I put myself in,” said Arreola. “I’m the gatekeeper. I’ve got to change that. Let’s see what happens.”

The heavyweight fight is scheduled for 10 rounds.

(Photos by Alonzo Coston)

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