Roberto Garcia Cortez (born January 29, 1975) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2001, and held the IBF junior lightweight title from 1998 to 1999. He has since worked as a boxing trainer, and was named Trainer of the Year by The Ring magazine in 2011 and 2024, and by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2012, 2024, and 2025.Roberto Garcia profile , Boxrec.com, 2012-04-01; retrieved 2012-05-17. He is the older brother of professional boxer Mikey Garcia, who was a world champion in four weight classes.
Early life Born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, Garcia grew up and still resides in Oxnard, California, and was trained by his father Eduardo Garcia at the La Colonia Youth Boxing Club.Eduardo Garcia (boxer) profile , Boxrec.com; retrieved 2012-05-17."Robert Garcia Fundraiser a success" , Fightnews (2010-10-18); retrieved 2012-05-17. Garcia said that he has been in Oxnard, California, since he was two years old.In a video which was published to YouTube on February 20, 2012, Garcia then said, "...this is where I'm from. This is where I grew up. I been in Oxnard since I was two years old. Uh, I know Oxnard. I love Oxnard." This quote starts at the 7:48 mark of the video, and ends at the 7:59 mark of the video. He considers himself to be Mexican, and has said that his father and mother are both of Mexican descent.In a video which was published to YouTube on December 2, 2015, Garcia said, "Both my dad and my mom are both fucking a hundred percent Mexican. That makes me a Mexican. Right? Right? That makes me a Mexican." This quote starts at the 0:55 mark of the video, and ends at the 1:05 mark of the video. He said that his parents were illegal immigrants until the eighties.In a video which was published to YouTube on December 2, 2015, Garcia said, "Fool! My parents were illegal until I, the eighties! My parents were illegal until the eighties!" This quote starts at the 2:22 mark of the video, and ends at the 2:29 mark of the video. He said that he grew up speaking Spanish, and that he learned to speak English when he went to school.In a video which was published to YouTube on December 2, 2015, Garcia said, "We grew up Mexican, fool! We grew up fucking speaking Spanish. We grew up fucking Mexican." This quote starts at the 0:18 mark of the video, and ends at the 0:22 mark of the video.In a video which was published to YouTube on December 2, 2015, Garcia said, "Hey! I was raised fucking straight up Mexican, fool! I didn't learn Span- I didn't learn English until fucking I was in school!" This quote starts at the 2:05 mark of the video, and ends at the 2:12 mark of the video.
Amateur career Robert Garcia had an extensive amateur career, but rumors about him fighting De La Hoya are unfounded. Although, Garcia has acknowledged sparring and training with the Hall of Famer.
Even so, his professional and amateur career are internationally recognized.
Professional career Known as "Grandpa", Garcia won his pro debut against Tsutomu Hitono at the International Center in Fukuoka, Japan.Tsutomu Hitono v Garcia , Boxrec.com (1992-07-15); retrieved 2012-05-17. He accumulated a record of 20–0, which included a win against future champion Derrick Gainer, before challenging for his first regional title.
NABF super featherweight champion In 1995 he took down the previously unbeaten American Julian Wheeler to win his first belt, the NABF Super Featherweight Championship.NABF Super Featherweight Championship , boxrec.com (1995-04-21); retrieved 2012-05-17. He successfully defended his championship just three months later against Francisco Segura.Saturday 29 July 1995. Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, United States , BoxRec.com (1995-07-29); retrieved 2012-05-17.
NABF featherweight champion At the Miami Arena, Garcia moved down to Featherweight and beat Darryl Pinckney to win the NABF Featherweight Championship.Darryl Pinckney v Garcia , Boxrec.com (1996-03-23); retrieved 2012-05-17.
IBF super featherweight champion On March 13, 1998 a then undefeated Garcia (29–0) captured the vacant IBF Super Featherweight Championship with a unanimous decision win over Harold Warren.Harold Warren v Garcia , Boxrec.com (1998-03-13); retrieved 2012-05-17. In his first title defense he knocked out Cuban Ramon Ledon at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey.Roberto Garcia vs. Ramon Ledon , Boxrec.com; retrieved 2012-05-17.
His next fight was against two-time World Champion, Puerto Rico's John John Molina. Garcia defeated Molina over twelve rounds; that fight card also featured Mike Tyson, Zab Judah, and Fres Oquendo.BoxRec Boxing Records . Boxrec.com (1999-01-16); retrieved 2012-05-17. He lost the belt in an upset to rising undefeated phenom Diego Corrales. After a win over title contender Sandro Marcos he moved back up in the world rankings.
WBA super featherweight title challenge and retirement
In January 2001, he earned a shot at the undefeated WBA Super Featherweight champion Joel Casamayor. Casamayor won the fight and Garcia retired shortly after beating veteran John Trigg by knockout.
Training career Garcia worked as a trainer at La Colonia Gym in Oxnard, California. Notable fighters who have trained under Garcia include Nonito Donaire and Tony Ferguson.Tony Ferguson Interview Most recently he opened his own boxing gym named Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard, California.Quinito Henson, Viloria back to warrior's mentality » The Dean's Corner, philstar.com; retrieved 2012-05-17."Victor Ortiz, Somehow With a Smile" . Boxing.fanhouse.com (2009-03-07); retrieved 2012-05-17. He is a three-time Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year (2012, 2024, 2025) and a two-time Ring magazine Trainer of the Year (2011, 2024).
Notable boxers trained Christopher Algieri, former WBO World Light Welterweight Champion Allan Benitez,Allan Benitez Lightweight boxer Alfonso Blanco, Light Middleweight prospect Felipe Campa, former WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion Francisco Contreras, Lightweight contender Jesus Cuellar, former WBA Fedelatin Featherweight Champion Nonito Donaire, world champion in four weight classes and former Ring Magazine pound for pound fighter Irving García, Lightweight journeyman Mikey Garcia, world champion in four weight classes Alfonso Gómez, competitor on The Contender Evgeny Gradovich, former IBF Featherweight Champion Joan Guzmán, former two divisions WBO World Champion Egidijus Kavaliauskas, established former amateur and welterweight title challenger Steven Luevano, former WBO World Featherweight Champion; made five successful defenses Marcos Maidana, former WBA Welterweight Champion and former WBA Light Welterweight champion Abner Mares, current WBA regular featherweight champion Antonio Margarito, former two-time World Welterweight Champion Hernán Márquez, former WBA World Flyweight Champion Hanzel Martínez, Bantamweight boxer; brother-in-law of Antonio Margarito Vergil Ortiz Jr., current WBC interim super welterweight champion Victor Ortíz, former WBC welterweight champion Victor Pasillas, undefeated Featherweight prospect Kelly Pavlik, former Lineal Middleweight ChampionRafael, Dan. (2011-01-02) Dan Rafael Blog – ESPN. Espn.go.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-17. Manuel Quezada, Heavyweight journeyman Marcos Reyes, Middleweight boxer Brandon Ríos, former WBA World Lightweight Champion Marco Antonio Rubio, former WBF World Super Middleweight Champion Erik Ruiz, Super Bantamweight journeyman Mia St. John, former WIBA, WIBF Lightweight, and WBC Light Middleweight Champion Mark Suárez, former WBO NABO Welterweight Champion Fernando Vargas, former two-time World Light Middleweight Champion Brian Viloria, former WBC and IBF Light Flyweight Champion Joshua Franco, former WBA Super Flyweight Champion Jesse Rodriguez, current WBC Super Flyweight Champion Anthony Joshua, former two-time WBA Heavyweight, IBF Heavyweight, WBO Heavyweight, IBO Heavyweight
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes37Win34–3John TriggTKO4 (6), Sep 22, 200136Loss33–3Joel CasamayorTKO9 (12), Jan 6, 200135Win33–2Sandro MarcosUD8Jul 29, 200034Loss32–2Ben TackieTKO10 (10), Jun 3, 200033Loss32–1Diego CorralesTKO7 (12), Oct 23, 199932Win32–0John John MolinaUD12Jan 16, 199931Win31–0Ramon LedonKO5 (12), Oct 24, 199830Win30–0Harold WarrenUD12Mar 13, 199829Win29–0Roy SimpsonTKO1Jul 19, 199728Win28–0Angel AldamaTKO5, Jun 28, 199727Win27–0Ramon SanchezKO2 Dec 7, 199626Win26–0Jose HerreraTKO4Oct 13, 199625Win25–0Jose Luis MadridKO3Jun 29, 199624Win24–0Darryl PinckneyUD12Mar 23, 199623Win23–0Eduardo MontesTKO4 (10), Jan 27, 199622Win22–0Francisco SeguraTKO12 (12), Jul 29, 199521Win21–0Julian WheelerUD12Apr 21, 199520Win20–0Israel Gonzalez BringasTKO4 (8), Mar 21, 199519Win19–0Lorenzo TiznadoTKO7 (10), Feb 18, 199518Win18–0Roberto VillarealTKO5Dec 10, 199417Win17–0Derrick GainerUD10Nov 18, 199416Win16–0Bobby BrewerKO3 (10)Sep 24, 199415Win15–0Frank AvelarKO2 (10)Aug 27, 199414Win14–0Orlando EucedaTKO6 (8), Jul 29, 199413Win13–0Raul ContrerasKO6Jun 24, 199412Win12–0Gabriel CastroPTS6Mar 20, 199411Win11–0Jose Herrera6Mar 12, 199410Win10–0James DeanKO2 (8)Feb 4, 19949Win9–0Hector DiazKO2, Jan 9, 19948Win8–0Agapito NavarroKO1Dec 23, 19937Win7–0Fred HernandezTKO3Oct 30, 19936Win6–0Abel HinojosaTKO1 (6), Aug 5, 19935Win5–0Victor Flores6Mar 22, 19934Win4–0Francisco Arroyo5 (6), Mar 1, 19933Win3–0Jun Peat Hitachi5Nov 20, 19922Win2–0Ikuma ShigeharaKO2Sep 5, 19921Win1–0Tsutomu Hitono2Jul 15, 1992
See also List of Mexican boxing world champions List of super-featherweight boxing champions List of IBF world champions Notable boxing families
References
External links RingTV poll: Trainer of the Year: Robert Garcia by The Ring magazine