BOXING AT THE IRVINE MARRIOTT : Garcia Struggles Past O’Mara in Main Event

Alex Garcia, the third-ranked heavyweight in the world only six months ago, looked like a bad club fighter Thursday night at the Irvine Marriott as he struggled to defeat journeyman George O’Mara in a 10-round unanimous decision that was heartily booed by the crowd of 1,108.

“I struggled,” Garcia said. “I know I should have punched. I was missing some shots.”

Garcia (34-3-1), who amazingly was in line to fight then-world champion Riddick Bowe less than a year ago, was timid and careless against O’Mara’s awkward style. Garcia, of North Hollywood, carried most of the early rounds in unimpressive fashion, but by the fifth round, the crowd had turned against Garcia and began cheering for O’Mara (13-11-3), a 38-year-old journeyman from Van Nuys who fought former top-ranked heavyweight Ron Lyle 14 years ago.

O’Mara carried the middle rounds, then survived a big Garcia eighth round before dominating the ninth and 10th rounds.

“He caught me with a few punches, but I wasn’t seriously hurt,” Garcia said. “I was trying to protect myself from his head. I didn’t want to get cut.”

After the decision was announced, Garcia was greeted by a chorus of boos. Meanwhile, O’Mara was greeted by $5 and $10 bills that were thrown in the ring by fans.

The Irvine crowd also appeared impressed with Pomona’s Shane Mosley (8-0, eight knockouts), 22, a lightweight who looked a lot more like a main-event fighter than Garcia. Mosley, whose style resembles that of a young Donald Curry, toyed with Francisco Rodriguez of Sonora, Mexico, before putting him down 2 minutes 40 seconds into the second round with a left jab to the body.

“I was taking my time,” said Mosley, an alternate on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team at 139 pounds. “I knew I could get him at any time.”