Garcia "We kept training as if Chaves would get his visa"

By Ryan Burton

This Saturday's HBO main event featuring former champion Brandon Rios and Diego Chaves has been up in the air over the past few days as Chaves had difficulty securing a visa in time to make the long flight from Argentina  to Las Vegas. Yesterday morning it appeared that the fight was going to be off and that contingency plans on securing Rios a new opponent were in full force.

At the 11th hour Chaves was issued his visa and headed for the airport, saving a fight that many fight fans have been looking forward to.

BoxingScene.com caught up with Rios' trainer yesterday to get his take on the situation.  The Oxnard, Calif. based Garcia said that he was very surprised when the news first broke that Chaves wouldn't get his visa in time to make the trip.

"Training camp was great.  For me it was a little upsetting to hear that Chaves couldn't get his visa but Brandon was like, 'who ever it is I just want to fight,' now that that doubt it over I am just happy and happy that it is going to be Chaves," said Garcia.

The former champion turned trainer said that even with all of the turmoil and drama surrounding the fight, they kept their focus and kept training as if it would be Chaves in the opposite corner Saturday night.  Garcia said that he felt all along Chaves would get his visa in time to make it to Friday's weigh in.

"We stayed preparing the same way.  I had a good feeling that the fight was going to happen so I wasn't worried about that.  There is always a chance that the fight is going to be against somebody else but I always thought that the fight has to happen," Garcia told BoxingScene.com.

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