Garcia Earns Bout Against Name Fighter

It’s not exactly in a class with the giant leap Neil Armstrong took, but in the violent world of heavyweight Alex Garcia, it’s a pretty big jump.

After learning his trade against such no-names as William Campudoni, Dennis Fikes and Jack Jackson, Garcia will take on a recognizable opponent Tuesday night when he meets Dee Collier of Los Angeles in the 10-round main event at the Reseda Country Club.

Nobody has yet mistaken Collier for Mike Tyson or Michael Spinks, but he is a former state heavyweight champion who has beaten, among others, Tex Cobb.

Collier and Garcia are fighters meeting at the crossroads of their respective careers. Garcia is 11-0 with 8 knockouts, but he now must prove he can beat somebody the public has heard of. Collier (10-8, 5 knockouts) is coming off a loss to Mike White on a 12-round decision in a state title fight held in February in Irvine. Beating an up-and-coming fighter like Garcia would show that Collier’s career is not in a downward spiral.

“It’s the kind of a fight,” said Blinky Rodriguez, Garcia’s manager, “that if you win, people say you are a genius to take it. If you lose, people say you’re an idiot.”

People seemed to have nothing but good things to say about Garcia when he first turned pro. The San Fernando fighter, a former national amateur super-heavyweight champion, was supposed to give new meaning to the term Fernandomania.

And indeed, the beginning of his professional career seemed to bear out such hyperbole. He knocked out his first opponent, Cliff Melbourne, in less than a round and was back in the ring just 18 days later, winning on a decision. Three of Garcia’s first 4 opponents lasted less than a round.

Like most fighters, Garcia learned his trade in relative obscurity, fighting 4- and 6-rounders on the undercard of bigger bouts.

Then, 4 months ago, he hurt his right wrist in a first-round knockout of Veti Katoa and took time off to recuperate.

He has not fought since and has chafed at the inactivity. He fought 11 times in 19 months, yet people kept asking when he was going to fight somebody .

“It seems like my career was not going up or down,” he said. “You get that rust on you.”

Over the past 2 months, Garcia has been shaking off that rust by running 6 miles a day and working up to 15 rounds with sparring partners and punching bags. Now, he’s going to fight somebody .

“I know I’m taking a big step,” he said, “but I need someone to give me pressure, to bring the best out in me. He’s a big guy, but I know I’m quicker than him.

“I’ve just got to fight a smart fight. I’m not going for the knockout. I’m going to fight my fight. It the knockout comes, it comes. I look at Collier as just someone in front of me I’ve got to get out of the way.”

As far as Rodriguez is concerned, this is the perfect someone.

“This is the fight Alex needed,” he said. “Alex is going to go to school with this guy. This is his chance to show not only his fans but himself that he has a heck of a lot of ability.

“After this, even his skeptics--not that he has a lot of them--are going to say this kid can fight. I’ve seen him in the trenches in his amateur days and I’ve seen him come out a winner. I think we’re going to make some pretty big noise in the next year. It’s time to knock down some bigger meat.”

The Tuesday night undercard at the Country Club largely will be filled with Weavers, namely, the fighting triplets now living in North Hollywood. Super middleweight Troy Weaver (6-1-1, 6 knockouts) will face Sal Montana (7-2, 5 knockouts) of San Antonio; middleweight Lloyd Weaver (4-0, 3 knockouts) will fight Oscar Pena (9-3-1, 8 knockouts) of San Antonio; and junior middleweight Floyd Weaver (5-1-1, 3 knockouts) will be opposed by Enrique Luna (14-5, 6 knockouts), also of San Antonio. All 3 fights are scheduled 6-rounders.

Country Club matchmakers also hope to have 2 other bouts on the card.

First bell is scheduled for 7 p.m.