"King Kong" invades Madison Square Garden after 32 month layoff!

By Mike Indri

Retired Boxers Foundation

(New Jersey State representative)

 

Plagued by a bitter contractual dispute with former promoter Cedric Kushner, which was seriously hampering his professional career, Israel "King Kong" Garcia was wondering if he would ever box competitively again.
 
Finally resolving the matter and moving on with his new promoter Don King; Garcia jumped at the opportunity to return to action on the undercard of the John Ruiz vs. James Toney title bout and embraced a new resurgence and dedication, as well as his ability to finally concentrate 100% on his own training and career path.
 
During his lengthy ring absence (last fight: 8/31/02 TKO5 Barry Lineberger), Garcia’s main boxing focus was as a sparring partner for Ruiz, the former WBA heavyweight champion, who credits Garcia for getting him prepared for his last two title defense victories (4/17/03: TKO11 Fres Oquendo & 11/13/03: W12 Andrew Golota).  
 
Showing just a bit of ring rust the talented Garcia faced rugged Andriy Oliynyk (10-2 with 9 KO’s) from Kiev in a six round contest.
 
As most of the Garden’s 9,169 paid attendance hadn’t even arrived; Garcia and Oliynyk brawled in a relatively empty arena.  What they missed was a sloppy, yet resounding, Garcia victory.
 
Showing good boxing skills and decent movement for a big man, Garcia controlled the bout and landed the only clean blows.  Oliynyk, a former " no-holds barred, ultimate fighter", must have thought he was back in a UFC octagon instead of the historic Madison Square Garden squared circle, as all the Ukrainian fighter wanted to do was grapple and hold. 
 
Oliynyk did manage to also get in a good head butt late in the sixth and final round, which cut Garcia (who improved to 15-1, 8 KO’s) over the left eye, requiring over twenty stitches.
 
With many of "King Kong’s" family and friends on hand for his return, Garcia was pleased with his performance and the bout’s outcome, " I felt relaxed and was happy to get back in there," stated the likable local heavyweight, adding "the cut will keep me out for about 60 days - but, I’ll be in the gym working hard, I’ll be ready."

All three judges saw Garcia the winner with scores of 59-54, 59-55 and 57-56, respectively.

 
Also on the Ruiz vs. Toney "Turning Point" undercard….

DaVarryl "Touch of Seep" Williamson wowed the crowd with a blistering 2nd round knockout of the dangerous Derrick Jefferson (now 28-4, 21 KO’s) in a battle were both fighters felt the canvas. Williamson improved to 22-3 with his 18th knockout and picked up the NABO Heavyweight title belt.
 
The twelve round majority draw between Larry Donald and Ray Austin proved how wide open the current heavyweight division truly is. While Donald was the better boxer, it appeared that Austin could have ended this hapless bout at any time if he had applied any effort. Neither fighter impressed, yet are considered contenders.
 
In the best fight of the night, Panama’s Vicente Mosquera (21-1-1, 10 KO’s) dethroned WBA Super Featherweight Champion Yodsanan (3-K Battery) Mantachie (44-3-1, 36 KO’s) in a classic twelve round unanimous decision brawl. Mosquera, looking like fellow Panamanian great Roberto Duran, dropped "3-K Battery" to the canvas three times and took a trip to the deck once himself in this non-stop, drag-out title fight.
 
IBF Jr. Bantamweight Champion Luis Perez retained his title with a dominating sixth round knockout against #1 contender Luis Bolano (38-3, 28 KO’s) from Cordoba, Colombia. The Nicaraguan champion improved to 23-1 (15KO’s).
 
In other fights on this loaded Don King Productions fight card, Evans Ashira (24-1, 13 KO’s) made Quinton "Happy" Smith very unhappy.  Ashira’s unanimous decision victory tarnished Smith’s (now 21-1) once perfect record. Brooklyn’s Elio Rojas stayed undefeated (12-0, 9 KO’s) against the veteran Anthony Martinez (19-18-3, 9 KO’s) in a six round blowout. In the "walk-out" bout, Kiev’s Oleksandr Maraschino (14-8 with 6 KO’s) surprised Elvir Muriqi (30-3, 18 KO’s) besting the "Kosovo Kid" with a split-decision eight round victory.
Adding the James Toney unanimous decision victory over John Ruiz, which gave Toney his fourth division world championship title (middleweight, super middleweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight), these ten fights made for a very long night - even in the usually electric, always mystical and magical Madison Square Garden.