PessimisticPug
02-20-2005, 04:44 PM
As the seminar for future referees began a man stood in the front of the room. He greeted and welcomed everybody and immediately dove into his lecture. Watching this man work one thing was obvious, he has a love for the brutal sport of boxing. It was also apparent that he thoroughly enjoyed the game and during the 7 hour seminar it became obvious that this man is well schooled and knowledgeable of the sport and its intracacies.
Armando Garcia has always loved boxing. A former police officer, he was one night sitting and watching the fights transpire across his television set. "I was watching these guys referee the bouts and thought, hey, I can do that.... well ya know what, at the time I couldnt." Garcia smiles and reclines abit in his chair as he continues his story.
Garcia began in July of '87 recieving his professional license and worked through '88, having worked as an inspector as well. Along with his work in the amatuers Garcia gained the experience needed to step up to another level of officiating. "Through '91 I was working the local pro shows and amatuer cards in Florida when I joined I.A.B.A and gave up the pros." The International Amatuer Boxing Association will not allow its members to work international amatuer bouts as well as the pros so Garcia had to make a decision. "I wanted to represent the United States at the olympic games." The list is long for officials and the requirments are strictly enforced when dealing with the olympic games. Garcia had no problem with properly handling a high level match but there were obstacles on his road to the olympics. "With all of the requirments and other officials waiting in line I figured that it would not be until 2012 that I would be involved in the games so i turned back to the professionals."
Armando garcia would join the W.B.A in 1994 and 42 world title fights later he is still going strong. "I dont know what I would be doing if I was not involved in boxing." Well, one thing seems to be certain, he does know what he is doing when it comes to boxing. In February of this month Garcia had the honor to over see a great match up between Zab judah and Corey Spinks. Spinks had taken Judahs title away in their previous meeting and the return match was a heated affair from the opening bell.
After 7 rounds of battle Judah landed a bomb at the bell that sent Spinks to the canvas. "Most people think that it was a knockdown but when Spinks fell the bell had already sounded and the round was clearly over." This was a major point in Armando Garcias teaching of knockdown procedures and mechanics. "A round lasts 3 minutes, that is it... its not like basketball, when the shot is fired and the ball is sailing towards the goal and the buzzer sounds ending the game. The ball then goes through the goal after the buzzer and that team wins the game with a buzzer shot, not so in boxing. When that bell rings the round is over...." Garcia explained the difference if a man was down BEFORE the 3 minutes expires and how that man would have to arise before the count of 10 and show his ability to continue. "In the replay of that fight it would have shown me counting over Spinks when the round was over."
When asked about a different bout involving a fellow referee Garcia was very respectfull towards his peer. The bout in question was a great battle between Julio Cesar Chavez and Meldrick Taylor where Steele was thrown into the fire by many observers for his decision to stop the bout. "Its not appropriate for referees to talk about other referees other than for seminars and learning purposes." Garcia smiled wishing to keep his opinion to himself, which I can respect.
Garcia has traveled the world in his time as a referee handling many title bouts in many different countries. Some of the countries he has visited in his referee get up are Nicaragua, Columbia, Paraguay, Korea, Denmark, and having multiple trips to Thailand, Venezuela, Japan, and Germany. He is spanning the globe giving fair and ethical enforcement of the rules in each bout that he is involved in.
There is another message that he would like to get out, the need for standardized rules around the world. "My main goal in boxing is to get standardized rules everywhere, right now we have 13 points of uniform rules that dont cover everything needed. Then there are all of the local rules that vary." These local rules come into play when something happens in the ring that is not already covered specifically in the uniform rules. "We've expanded the uniform rules to cover 24 points and have sold them to the Association of Boxing Commisions and we are looking into amending more of the uniform rules. The W.B.A excepted and bought the rules and are working by them as we speak."
Armando garcia is a man with a mission. He is in the process of educating the officials of the future as well as continuing to work his knowledge of the ring as a referee and judge. Armandos vision is to have the world regulated by the same standards and procedures from the 4 rounds brawls to the elite 12 round title fights. His training of the futures officials is thorough and insightfull, invaluable to the ones seated and listening to his instruction. From this room Garcia will travel, teaching the ways of the A.B.C, to many other rooms for lectures and instruction to boxings future officials. "Its a step to having everybody on the same page." I'm with you Armando and in time hope that everyone else will be too....Rockin'
Armando Garcia has always loved boxing. A former police officer, he was one night sitting and watching the fights transpire across his television set. "I was watching these guys referee the bouts and thought, hey, I can do that.... well ya know what, at the time I couldnt." Garcia smiles and reclines abit in his chair as he continues his story.
Garcia began in July of '87 recieving his professional license and worked through '88, having worked as an inspector as well. Along with his work in the amatuers Garcia gained the experience needed to step up to another level of officiating. "Through '91 I was working the local pro shows and amatuer cards in Florida when I joined I.A.B.A and gave up the pros." The International Amatuer Boxing Association will not allow its members to work international amatuer bouts as well as the pros so Garcia had to make a decision. "I wanted to represent the United States at the olympic games." The list is long for officials and the requirments are strictly enforced when dealing with the olympic games. Garcia had no problem with properly handling a high level match but there were obstacles on his road to the olympics. "With all of the requirments and other officials waiting in line I figured that it would not be until 2012 that I would be involved in the games so i turned back to the professionals."
Armando garcia would join the W.B.A in 1994 and 42 world title fights later he is still going strong. "I dont know what I would be doing if I was not involved in boxing." Well, one thing seems to be certain, he does know what he is doing when it comes to boxing. In February of this month Garcia had the honor to over see a great match up between Zab judah and Corey Spinks. Spinks had taken Judahs title away in their previous meeting and the return match was a heated affair from the opening bell.
After 7 rounds of battle Judah landed a bomb at the bell that sent Spinks to the canvas. "Most people think that it was a knockdown but when Spinks fell the bell had already sounded and the round was clearly over." This was a major point in Armando Garcias teaching of knockdown procedures and mechanics. "A round lasts 3 minutes, that is it... its not like basketball, when the shot is fired and the ball is sailing towards the goal and the buzzer sounds ending the game. The ball then goes through the goal after the buzzer and that team wins the game with a buzzer shot, not so in boxing. When that bell rings the round is over...." Garcia explained the difference if a man was down BEFORE the 3 minutes expires and how that man would have to arise before the count of 10 and show his ability to continue. "In the replay of that fight it would have shown me counting over Spinks when the round was over."
When asked about a different bout involving a fellow referee Garcia was very respectfull towards his peer. The bout in question was a great battle between Julio Cesar Chavez and Meldrick Taylor where Steele was thrown into the fire by many observers for his decision to stop the bout. "Its not appropriate for referees to talk about other referees other than for seminars and learning purposes." Garcia smiled wishing to keep his opinion to himself, which I can respect.
Garcia has traveled the world in his time as a referee handling many title bouts in many different countries. Some of the countries he has visited in his referee get up are Nicaragua, Columbia, Paraguay, Korea, Denmark, and having multiple trips to Thailand, Venezuela, Japan, and Germany. He is spanning the globe giving fair and ethical enforcement of the rules in each bout that he is involved in.
There is another message that he would like to get out, the need for standardized rules around the world. "My main goal in boxing is to get standardized rules everywhere, right now we have 13 points of uniform rules that dont cover everything needed. Then there are all of the local rules that vary." These local rules come into play when something happens in the ring that is not already covered specifically in the uniform rules. "We've expanded the uniform rules to cover 24 points and have sold them to the Association of Boxing Commisions and we are looking into amending more of the uniform rules. The W.B.A excepted and bought the rules and are working by them as we speak."
Armando garcia is a man with a mission. He is in the process of educating the officials of the future as well as continuing to work his knowledge of the ring as a referee and judge. Armandos vision is to have the world regulated by the same standards and procedures from the 4 rounds brawls to the elite 12 round title fights. His training of the futures officials is thorough and insightfull, invaluable to the ones seated and listening to his instruction. From this room Garcia will travel, teaching the ways of the A.B.C, to many other rooms for lectures and instruction to boxings future officials. "Its a step to having everybody on the same page." I'm with you Armando and in time hope that everyone else will be too....Rockin'