Garcia – Rivera Title Fight Revives Ethnic Boxing Rivalry

ByBoxing Press

World Boxing Association super welterweight champion Alejandro “Terra” Garcia defends his title against former world champion and local favorite Jose Antonio Rivera, reviving the legendary Mexican-Puerto Rican rivalry in boxing at the DCU Center in Worcester on May 6.Garcia-Rivera shapes up as the latest edition of memorable brawls featuring Mexican versus Puerto Rican fighters including classics like Oscar De La Hoya-Tito Trinidad, Salvador Sanchez-Wilfredo Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez-Juan LaPorte, and Carlos Palomino-Wilfred Benetiz.

“I’m more than willing to renew the Puerto Rican-Mexican rivalry that’s been so popular in boxing,” said Rivera, who was born in Philadelphia but later lived with relatives and visited Puerto Rico. “It goes back a long way and I’m excited to be part of it against Garcia, who is a true Mexican warrior that I’m fighting for his championship.”

A wrist injury that required surgery prevented Rivera from fighting Fernando Vargas in a high-profile fight in 1997, which very well could have been an ethnic showdown of interest in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States.

Rivera (37-4-1, 24 KOs) lost his World Boxing Association welterweight title to Luis Collazo in a very close split decision at the DCU Center on April 2. Elbow surgery cancelled Jose’s first title shot at 154 pounds against WBO title-holder Daniel Santos on Aug. 28 in Cleveland.

Garcia (25-1, 23 KOs) is a feared knockout artist from Tijuana, Mexico, whose only loss came Dec.13, 2003, when he dropped his guard against Travis Simms.

Garcia stopped 1996 Olympic bronze medal winner Rhoshii “The Mongoose” Wells (TKO 9) in a rematch May 21 to capture the WBA interim super welterweight title at the United Center in Chicago. In his last outing on Aug. 13, also at the United Center, “Terra” won a unanimous 12-round decision against Italian champion Luca “Bergamo Bomber” Messi, and he was soon thereafter declared the outright WBA super welterweight champion after a rematch with Simms never materialized.

Tickets priced at $35, $50, $100 and $250 are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office, all area Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at (617) 931-2000 or (617) 228-6000. All tickets are subject to a $.50 facility fee.

The Garcia vs. Rivera main event on the Dynamite at the DCU card, promoted by Don King, will be broadcast live on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).