Fresh off the news that junior middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jr. (19-0, 19 KOs) is teaming back up with Robert Garcia, ProBoxTV reached out to the future hall of fame trainer to get some of the details surrounding him getting back to working with Ortiz Jr.
Regarding fighters and trainers going their separate ways, at times, it could be justified due to one's actions, but often, it's due to a misunderstanding. When Ortiz left Garcia’s camp last year, it was a surprise to everyone, but those around the sport know that time heals all wounds, and they would eventually have a conversation about it.
Shortly after Ortiz Jr.’s last fight, which he had to cancel due to his illness, Garcia took a plane to Dallas, TX, to see the fighter he once had in his stable, not as a trainer but as a friend. Garcia told ProBoxTV, “The thing is that we always stayed in touch with the dad as friends. Same thing with my son as he stayed in touch with them as friends. After this last fight, he was supposed to have and what happened to him a few days before the fight, I flew out to Dallas to go visit him. I spent a day over there with him, the dad, and we went to go get some lunch together, and that’s what initiated everything. When I went out there, we had a good talk, and that’s what initiated everything.”
January 6th in Las Vegas! Vergil will be back and better than ever. Ready to take over 154 lbs! #RGBA #HouseOfChampions @VergilOrtiz @GoldenBoyBoxing pic.twitter.com/ktBYz9Pmx3
— Robert Garcia Boxing (@GarciaBoxing) November 13, 2023
During that time in Texas, both Garcia and Team Ortiz (Vergil & his Father) talked things out and those misunderstandings mentioned earlier were all sorted out during that time.
“It was a great thing that we had a chance to talk with the kid (Ortiz Jr.) and the dad (Ortiz Sr.), especially since there were a few little misunderstandings. The dad was very understandable. Same thing with me, my son, and my dad. We are all one team, so we all had to talk it over together. The main thing is that the kid and Sr. understood and were able to put everything behind, and I’m very happy the kid is back. He’s a great kid and has so much talent. Even when he wasn’t with me, I would say that kid is going to be the next big star at welterweight if he would have stayed there. Now it’s going to have to be 154 or maybe 160,” said Garcia.
Now things can go back to the way they used to be with Ortiz Jr. having both his father and Garcia in his corner for what appears to be one of his most important fights after coming off of those two canceled ones within the last 12 months. All eyes will be on Ortiz Jr. when he steps into the ring on January 6 against Fredrick Lawson (30-3, 22 KOs) on DAZN.
For Garcia he continues to juggle things as his RGBA empire has expanded from not only training fighters but also putting on boxing shows. He has a busy schedule coming up and wanted to let fight fans know what he has going on. “I have my own show next Saturday in San Antonio, TX, and I have one in Fresno, CA, this Friday. Because of the rain, we might move it to Sunday (The Fresno Show). Then, I have another one of my shows on December 2 in Oxnard, CA. Lastly, I have (Jesse) ‘Bam’ Rodriguez against Sunny Edwards on December 16.”
