Garcia Defeats Muniz on TKO to Win Title

Unheralded Georgie Garcia of Santa Ana won the vacant California super bantamweight title with a technical knockout of Oscar (The Boxer) Muniz in the 11th round Monday night at the Irvine Marriott.

The ring doctor stopped the fight at 1:14 of the 11th round of the scheduled 12-round fight after Garcia had opened a cut over Muniz’s eye.

Muniz appeared to be in control at that point, but two flurries by Garcia, one in the 10th round and the other late in the 11th, sealed his fate.

On the comeback trail after losing a WBA-sanctioned title fight to Jeff Chandler in 1984, Muniz suffered a serious setback in his quest for the national title with Monday’s loss.

On the undercard, Lee Sentinella, who recently moved from Alaska to Westminster to further his boxing career, did just that with a split decision over Ruben Blackwell in a four-round bout at 163 pounds.

Sentinella’s record is 4-0.

In other bouts, heavyweight Nick DeLong of Long Beach knocked out I.V. Nalls in the fifth round of a scheduled six-round fight.

Also, Tony Paisano knocked out Milton Bush of Westminster at 2:24 of the first round. And, Alfred Gomez won a unanimous decision over Norberto Ayala of Santa Ana at 122 pounds.

Monday’s crowd of 1,460 included entertainer Donnie Osmond, former heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry, San Diego Padre shortstop Garry Templeton and former Angel first baseman Rod Carew.