1970's ~ Top Heavyweight Upsets

[Bill Paxtom]

'Upset Special #17'

Monday ~ May 21, 1973

Coliseo Roberto Clemente ~ San Juan, Puerto Rico

Jose Luis Garcia ~ 24-3-1 {15 KO's} ~ 6' 4" ~ 214 lbs. ~ Age; 23 years, 3 months
vs.
Joe Alexander ~ 11-3-0 {9 KO's} ~ 5' 9" ~ 204 lbs. ~ Age; 24 years, 3 months

'The Skinny'

Jose Luis Garcia >
Was a 'lanky' but hard-hitting Heavyweight from Venezuela. Jose was ranked as the
#9 WBA Heavyweight, and was coming of an 'upset loss' {L KO 6} to Ernie Terrell
7-Months earlier, back on October 23, 1972.

Jose had earlier signed to face #4 Ranked - Jerry Quarry, set for June 18th at Madison
Square Garden.

But, Teddy Brenner {Matchmaker for Madison Square Garden} had suggested that Jose
take a 'tune-up' bout first, before taking on Jerry Quarry in 4-Weeks.

Manager - Willie Ketchum agreed, and decided to take this bout in Puerto Rico that was
co-promoted by Madison Square Garden.

Joe Alexander >
Joe was a 24 year-old 'gym-fighter' from the Bronx, New York. At 5' 9" and powerfully-built,
the squat 'power-house' was chiefly a sparring-partner for fighters who fought Joe Frazier.

Both, Jimmy Ellis and Muhammad Ali used Joe as a New York sparring-partner when prepping
for their bouts with Smokin' Joe Frazier.

Joe had also sparred with World-Class fighters; Light-Heavyweight Champion Bob Foster,
Jerry Quarry, Mac Foster, Oscar Bonavena and George Chuvalo.

A professional since September 1968 {4+ years} the little-known and lightly-regarded, but
'hard-swinging' New York Heavyweight only had '14-Bouts' on his resume.
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'The Bout'

Jose Luis Garcia came out trying to utilize his 7" Height and 9" Reach advantage, as he
measured Joe at Center-Ring.

Jose was able to get off with several decent left-jabs into Joe's face over the first {50-Seconds},
then inexplicably backed up to the Ropes.

As Joe came in low, Jose fired in a left-hook underneath, and tried to come back with right
uppercut.

But Joe beat Garcia to the punch, and unloaded with a 'wild' full-force left-hook that caught the tall
Venezuelan flush on the chin.

Jose then slumped to his knee's and fell into the canvas. Garcia didn't even move, as he
was counted out at {1:09} of the 1st-Round.