If the balloting was limited to Oxnard, the election would be over.
The results would be a landslide and there would be much cheering in faraway Argentina and Spain.
That’s what Nonito Donaire Jr. and Antonio Margarito trainer Robert Garcia said Monday as to who should be the 2010 Fighter of the Year and Trainer of the Year.
Lest you get the wrong idea, Garcia, a former world champion who looks to my experienced eyes to be the next Freddie Roach, isn’t blowing his own horn.
Instead, the former IBF junior lightweight ruler is trumpeting the accomplishments of world middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (Argentina) and his tutor, Gabriel Sarmiento (Spain).
Both are adopted “sons” of the thriving Oxnard boxing community.
Garcia thinks it could be a tonic to boxing for someone other than Pacman and Coach Roach to cop those prestigious honors this time around.
“Look,” Garcia said, “Pacquiao, everything he’s done, well…he is always tremendous, and Freddie’s been there with him every step of the way…
“But I think Martinez is Fighter of the Year now. He’s got two great wins, first over Kelly Pavlik and then the KO over Paul Williams.”
Garcia has a personal tie to Sarmiento and, through the trainer, to Martinez. He admits to his bias.
“I would be so happy for them both but especially for Gabriel. One night, about three or four years ago, he showed up at the old gym (La Colonia) and I was cleaning up, getting ready to close.
“I did not know the guy was or what he wanted. He introduced himself and said, ‘I have nowhere to go.’
“I took him to Casa Villamar, a little motel where I put sparring partners and other fighters,” Garcia said. “Now he’s got his own house here and so does Martinez. Gabriel and I we swap sparring partners from his gym to mine all the time. We exchange guys like that.”
Garcia said those who say, well Martinez just landed one terrific punch, beat one guy who had already been beaten, are off the mark.
“Take both of his victories, beating first Pavlik and then Paul, and I don’t see how he and his trainer are not the top guys for this year.”
Based on Garcia charge Donaire’s smashing performance of Saturday night, it could be he and the Fil-Am taking the same honors for 2011.
Garcia, a gym workaholic just like the older Roach, has two more fight cards to work before he takes a holiday break.
Then, and only then, will he have some R & R with his wife and children, including a rambunctious two old.
