A Family Affair

Elijah Garcia is trained by his father, George Jr., and grandfather, George Sr. They are former professional boxers along with his great grandfather, making Garcia a fourth generation fighter.

But boxing was not Elijah's initial interest. 

“I always played multiple sports. I played football, basketball, soccer and baseball. I also ran track," Garcia said. "I wrestled, too. After wrestling, I got injured and then we went to the boxing gym just to keep me active."

George Sr. recognized his grandson’s potential at the age of 11 and began training him as a southpaw even as he is a natural right-hander.

"I stuck with it," Elijah said. "I ended up falling in love with the sport.”

Garcia turned professional after a short-lived amateur career which included a US National championship in 2017.

“At 16 years old, I had my first son, and in the amateurs, I kept fighting the same kids,” Garcia said. “I ended up beating a lot of the kids that beat me in my early stages of amateurs, and so...I decided to turn pro."

A boxer of Garcia's age at the time could not be licensed professionally in America, so Garcia's first five bouts occurred in Mexico.

A 16-year-old Garcia's professional debut was a 28-second second TKO of Jose Roberto Hernandez Serrano at 154 pounds in February 2020. 

In succession, Garcia then stopped Noe Marquez Talamantes in the second round in March and Luis Munoz Duran in the first round that September. 

Garcia went 6-0 (5 KOs) in 2021 with first-, second- and first-round TKOs of Carlos Urrea Luzanilla (January), Juan Jose Valencia Villegas (April) and Phillip Carmouche (June), respectively–the latter being Garcia's American debut in Phoenix, Arizona.

Following a four-round unanimous decision over Fernando Hernandez (July) and third- and fifth-round TKOs of Michael Lemelle (September) and Todd Manuel (November), Garcia was 9-0 (8 KOs).

Big Dreams, Major Moves

There were four more victories (three knockouts) in 2022 comprising a third-round stoppage of Antonio Louis Hernandez in February, a six-round unanimous decision over Rowdy Legend Montgomery in May and consecutive first- and second-round knockouts of Edgar Valenzuela and Cruse Stewart in October and December. Valenzuela entered at 7-1 (6 KOs), and Stewart, 8-1 (6 KOs), the latter being stopped for the first time in his career as Garcia rose to 13-0 (11 KOs).

“I have big dreams to become the next big Mexican star in boxing," Garcia said. "But I’m going to take it one fight at a time."

In 2023, Garcia went from rising prospect to burgeoning star. It began on March 4 when he took on the heavily favored and undefeated Amilcar Vidal Garcia (16-0, 12 KOs) at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. 

Stunned onlookers witnessed a coming out party for a 19-year-old Garcia as he bulldozed Vidal, knocking him out in the fourth round. 

“It got me a lot of attention. He was the No. 9 contender, I wasn’t ranked at all and a lot of people just kept saying ‘He’s just some 19-year-old," Garcia said. “I felt great because I felt like I proved the whole world wrong, you know? I did something everybody said I couldn’t do."

Garcia was back in the ring on April 22, taking another step up in class as he faced Kevin Salgado. This time, he went the 10-round distance for the first time in his career, winning a wide unanimous decision.

Garcia had graduated from prospect to contender, which meant only tough assignments lay ahead. On September 30, he faced the hard-hitting Armando Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs) on the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo Pay-Per-View card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. 

Resendiz was coming off an upset ninth-round stoppage of former unified world champion Jarrett Hurd in March. Against Garcia, he was simply outgunned. The two warred in the early going but Garcia’s heavier artillery and more refined skillset allowed him to pull away, closing the show with a vicious assault that forced the bout’s stoppage in the eighth round. 

"I countered to the body and came up to the head. I hadn’t doubled up on my hook. I saw that he was hurt," Garcia said. "I do what I do. I finished him off. I'll be 21 in April. I might become a champion before I’m 21 or 22.”

A Disappointing Setback

On June 15, 2024, Garcia took on veteran Kyrone Davis in the PBC on Prime Video Prelims headliner from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Davis (19-3-1, 6 KOs) overcame a late rally to hand Garcia his first defeat via 10-round split decision.  

Judge Max De Luca scored the contest 97-93, while Eric Cheek had it 98-92, both for Davis, with judge John McKaie seeing it 97-93 for Garcia. 

Davis jumped out to an early lead, working behind the jab and using movement to offset Garcia’s attack. Garcia (16-1, 13 KOs) continued to apply pressure, oftentimes pinning Davis on the ropes and landing to the body.

The fight grew increasingly closer as the rounds progressed, yet Davis remained composed, countering well off the ropes. Garcia landed several head-snapping shots in rounds nine and 10, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Davis’ lead.