By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The Genaro Garcia who showed up to fight Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista in a ten round bout at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex in Tagbilaran City, Bohol is not the featherweight Genaro "Poblanito" Garcia who was contracted by ALA Promotions to face Bautista.
ALA Promotions patron Tony Aldeguer and his son Michael Aldeguer discovered after the weigh-in when Garcia was four pounds over the 128 pound limit that he was not the fighter with a record of 37-8 with 21 knockouts who had fought eight world champions and whom they had contracted to fight because they wanted Bautista to fight a quality opponent and had made it clear in their communications with the Mexican matchmaker/agent they had dealt with in the past.
Instead of sending Genaro "Poblanito" Garcia, Mexican matchmaker/agent Victor Hugo Correa Cedillo pulled a fast one on ALA Promotions by switching fighters and sending Genaro Gutierrez Garcia, a lightweight believed to be Genaro "Panterita" Garcia with a record of 10-11 with 6 knockouts, according to boxrec.com.
Referee Bruce McTavish was the referee when the real Genaro Garcia lost by a 12th round TKO to WBC super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka. McTavish is in Bohol to referee the main event and he was called in by the Aldegurs to identify Garcia and said he is not the same fighter who fought Nishioka.
Brought to a restaurant where the Aldeguers were with a group of sportswriters including philboxing.com owner Dong Secuya, Garcia said his "new nickname" was "El Negro" and that his full name as indicated in his Mexican passport was Genaro Gutierrez Garcia.
Although he admitted he was not the Genaro Garcia seen on billboards and promotional material for the fight, he claimed to have a record of 28-8 but it could not be found anywhere.
The fight will go on as scheduled but the respected promotional outfit regarded as No.1 in the Philippines is certain to demand drastuc action by the Mexican Boxing Commission against Correa for swindling ALA Promotions by switching fighters .
