Let’s not forget Garcia

A press release from Las Vegas quoted Olympic boxing qualifier Eumir Marcial the other day setting his career goals as capturing the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Summer Games and becoming the first Filipino world middleweight champion in the pros. Someone forgot to remind Marcial that once upon a time, Ceferino Garcia of Biliran reigned as the world middleweight titlist and should’ve been enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) years ago.

It’s a travesty that to this day, the Canastota, New York-based IBHOF has chosen to ignore Garcia’s exploits. There are several reasons why Garcia should be inducted. First, he was a legitimate world champion and the only Filipino to win the middleweight crown. Second, the man he dethroned Fred Apostoli was enshrined in 2003. In October 1939, Garcia floored Apostoli thrice to snatch the middleweight strap via a seventh round stoppage in New York City. Third, he was one of only six fighters to hold the legendary Henry Armstrong to a draw. Fourth, Garcia was the first man to deck World War II hero and Hall of Famer Barney Ross whom he fought thrice.

Fifth, he was an innovator in the fight game and introduced the “bolo punch,” a half-hook, half-uppercut that was unleashed from close to the hip with a windmill pitch. Sixth, there was no question Garcia was revered. Boxing promoter Lou Lake described Garcia as “a man who always came to punch, a real champion at a time when you had to fight your way to the top” and another promoter Sid Flaherty said, “Garcia was a very game man who took a good punch, a very tough competitor.” Boxing historian Jack McCallum wrote that Garcia could hit like a muleskinner. In 1944, he joined actress Shirley Temple in a radio promotion calling on US soldiers to continue the fight for victory during World War II. Former US president Dwight Eisenhower cited Garcia for his contribution in inspiring soldiers, including Filipinos. Seventh, Garcia was a living icon. He appeared in several movies, including “Hollywood Canteen” in 1944, “Joe Palooka Champ” in 1946, “Body and Soul” in 1947 and “Whiplash” in 1948. Garcia had a cameo role in the John Wayne film “Back To Bataan” in 1945. He was once actress Mae West’s bodyguard and chauffer. When Garcia was buried in Los Angeles in 1981, his funeral was attended by hundreds of fans, friends and relatives. Among those who paid their respects were Hall of Famers Armstrong and Archie Moore.

Garcia is in the record books as the Filipino boxer with the most wins in his career, compiling a record of 102-27-12, with 67 KOs. He racked up a total of 141 fights in a 22-year career that ended in 1945. Two Filipino Hall of Famers Pancho Villa and Flash Elorde had 89 wins each. Garcia made his first title defense at the open-air Rizal Football Stadium where over 40,000 fans showed up to witness his 13th round demolition of challenger Glen (The Nebraska Wildcat) Lee in December 1939. The audience included President Manuel L. Quezon who sat beside Garcia’s mother Pascuala Pieras at ringside. Former heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey was the referee who stopped the fight after Lee barely survived the second knockdown of the round.

Garcia was born in Biliran in 1906 and moved to Cebu when he was 15 before transplanting to Tondo. The oldest of six children, he learned how to use the bolo working in sugar cane fields and developed his upper body strength as a blacksmith. Garcia gained a fearsome reputation as a streetfighter and it led to a ring career that started in 1923 with a purse of P10.50. In 1932, he was brought to California by his manager Jes Cortez who teamed with American Frank Churchill in sending Filipino fighters to the US. While in the US, Garcia was signed to a contract by promoter George Parnassus and trained under Johnny Villaflor, also a Filipino. Garcia failed in two bids for the world welterweight title, losing decisions to Ross and Armstrong but finally ascended the throne in the middleweight division.

Garcia suffered from a kidney ailment and arthritis before succumbing to a respiratory illness at the Kaiser Hospital in San Diego in 1981 at the age of 74. He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1977 and the California-based World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981. The IBHOF was organized in June 1989. Villa, Elorde and promoter Lope (Papa) Sarreal Sr. are the only Filipinos inducted. Garcia qualifies as a Hall of Famer in the late era “old timers” category for boxers who were active from 1943 to 1988. He deserves to be enshrined.