Former International Boxing Federation world champion Robert Garcia will be bringing his teaching skills to the youth of Moreno Valley, officials announced Thursday.
The Robert Garcia Boxing Academy will open a location at 22500 Town Circle, with a grand opening set for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature an open house with live music, food, drinks and guided tours of the gym. Attendees will also have a chance to meet and greet Garcia and other world-class boxers, officials said.
“My goal is to bring world-class coaching to fighters everywhere, helping them build successful careers inside and outside the ring. We’ve produced champions and we will keep doing it — one fighter at a time, one victory at a time,” Garcia said.
Garcia, 50, competed in the lightweight and featherweight divisions from 1992 to 2001 and is currently regarded as one of the best trainers in boxing. He was named 2024 Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year, and his roster of champions includes Nonito Donaire and Marcos Maidana, among others.
The former IBF Super Featherweight Champion was born in San Pedro, in Los Angeles County, and trained by his father, Eduardo Garcia, at the La Colonia Youth Boxing Club in Oxnard.
His brother, Miguel Ãngel GarcÃa, was a top featherweight contender trained by Robert Garcia and is now retired.
“Moreno Valley is proud and excited to soon welcome RGBA, a place where future champions can emerge and our community can fully embrace the sport of boxing. Get ready, Moreno Valley — great things are on the horizon!” Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrera said.
The academy will offer a youth program from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday with open sessions on Fridays.
The Robert Garcia Boxing Academy was established several years ago in Oxnard, in Ventura County, “with the mission of developing champions both in the ring and in life,” according to a statement from the boxing academy.
More information is available at rgbapro.com.