At just 21, Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia is emerging as one of the most promising lightweight prospects in boxing. Yet, despite his great record and growing reputation, Garcia's journey to the top has been anything but easy. This Friday, he returns to the ring at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on the undercard of Jaime Munguia vs. Erik Bazinyan. His opponent, Ricardo Fernandez, will be a test, but for Garcia, the battles he’s faced outside the ring have shaped him into the fighter he is today.
Raised in Ulysses, Kansas, Garcia began boxing at the age of seven. As his talent developed, it quickly became clear that the small, rural town couldn’t offer him the future he envisioned. At 17, Garcia made the bold decision to leave home and move to Los Angeles to train under the guidance of Coach Gloria Alvarado, known as “Coach G.” It was a leap of faith that paid off. Alvarado saw potential in Garcia from the start, recalling his determination and resilience during amateur competitions.
“He never gave up. He always had a smile on his face, proud of his performance,” Alvarado said.
But Garcia’s move to Los Angeles wasn’t just about pursuing his boxing dreams. It also meant sacrificing the comforts of home and leaving behind his family. That sacrifice hit hard in 2021 when Garcia’s younger brother, Christopher, was tragically shot in Kansas. The loss devastated Garcia, but rather than allowing the tragedy to consume him, he found a way to push through.
“It threw life sideways for me,” Garcia admitted. “But I chose to keep going, to keep doing what I’m doing.”
As Garcia’s career progressed, the losses continued. Just before his last fight in August, he received the heartbreaking news that his friend, Xavier Castaneda, had been killed in Kansas. Fighting through the pain, Garcia channeled his emotions into the ring.
“I was focused, but subconsciously it was there. I think I was throwing every punch with emotion,” he said.
Now signed with Top Rank Inc., he is steadily climbing the ranks of the lightweight division. With Coach G by his side and a deep well of resilience driving him forward, Garcia’s future looks bright. The road ahead won’t be easy, but if there’s one thing Garcia has proven, it’s that he knows how to fight through adversity!
Munguia vs. Bazinyan is today! Don’t miss it.
Image Credit: Top Rank