An Interview with Ramon ?El Principe? Garcia Hirales (Photos)
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 27 Sep 2011
Mabolo, Cebu City ? The defending WBO light flyweight champion from Mexico has been here for a week preparing for his title defense in Bacolod City against Donnie'Ahas' Nietes. Hirales has sparred with Filipino boxers Jason Canoy and Johnriel Casimero at the Omega Boxing and Workout Gym.
Together with his brother, former two-time minimumweight champion Raul 'Rayito' Garcia, they also did their roadwork along the hills of Busay together with the fighters of the Omega gym. They are accompanied by Alexander Castillo, who is the son of their manager, Edrulfo Castillo and trainer Leo Camacho.
Garcia-Hirales answered questions from philboxing after his training session.
PhilBoxing: How is your stay here in Cebu?
Garcia-Hirales: Great! Filipino people here in Cebu are treating me very nice. Especially, Mr. Sammy Gello-Ani has opened the doors of the Omega Gym for me and my brother ?Rayito? to train. The sparring partners are nice kids as well.
Philboxing: Any predictions about the fight?
Garcia-Hirales: Nietes is a great fighter. I have much respect for Donnie Nietes. But the day of the fight I am going to show that I am the champion. I am going to win in Bacolod.
Philboxing: If you win against Nietes, are you open to fighting again here in the Philippines?
Garcia-Hirales: Yes, I'd like to fight here again. People here in Cebu are really nice to me. Fans are friendly to me and our team. I like it here.
PhilBoxing: Nietes has fought three times in Mexico. Have you fought on the same card with Nietes?
Garcia-Hirales: No, I never fought on the same card with Nietes.
Philboxing: How about the weight?
Garcia-Hirales: Fine. Just a bit over the weight limit (108 lbs). There is plenty of time to be perfectly on my best fight weight on weight-in day.
PhilBoxing: Your brother ?Rayito? is a 2-time world champion. You are a world champion as well. Who started boxing first?
Garcia-Hirales: Actually, it was ?Rayito?, who was the first one to box. Then I followed him. We were around 12-13 year-old at that time. Immediately we loved the sport and began training.
PhilBoxing: How is the training here at the Omega Gym in Cebu?
Garcia-Hirales: Excellent. We run and train under the guidance of our ?profe? don Leodegario ?Leo? Camacho who is here with us. We do the rope, spar and hit the heavy sack everyday.
Sunday is our rest day. Sunday, we tour Cebu and we learned about Fernando de Magellan and some of Cebu.
PhilBoxing: Your trip from Mexico to Philippines was long, you already acclimatized to time here?
Garcia-Hirales: Long trip.That is why we came earlier, about 21 days before the the fight. We arrived September 21 and the fight is October 8. That gives us enough time to get well and ready.
I feel much respect for my opponent. He is experienced and very good boxer. But on October 8, I will defeat Donnie Nietes.
POSTSCRIPT:
Twin brother Raul Garcia (30W-2L-1D, 18 KO's) is scheduled to fight Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico this October 28 for the interim WBO minimumweight title. He did not make any predictions about the outcome of his brother's title defense but he expects a difficult and exciting bout. Raul has also sparred with the Omega gym boxers.
Garcia Hirales (16W-2L-1D, 9 KO's) beat Casimero for the interim version of the title last year. He beat Jesus Geles of Colombia by fourth round knockout for the WBO world title last April. This will be his first title defense.
Nietes (28W-1L-2D, 16 KO's) , a former WBO minimumweight champion, will be going for his second world title in two different weight divisions in the main event of Pinoy Pride 9 at University of St. La Salle Gymnasium.
(This interview was conducted with the assistance of Team Garcia's Alexander Castillo and notifight.com and philboxing's Carlos Costa)
Top and below photos: Garcia Hirales pounds on the heavy bag Tuesday afternoon at the Omega Gym in Cebu City.
Garcia-Hirales (in blue shirt) spars with Jason Canoy.
Photos by Carlos Costa.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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