Reigning Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia says if he was given a chance to train a boxer, it would be Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., stressing that he will transform the Mexican into a much better fighter.
Garcia, a former champion himself during his boxing days, said he sees so much potential in Chavez Jr. that he just needs is to be aggressive to be successful in the ring.
"I just see so much potential in that guy [Chavez Jr.], Garcia said in an interview with ESnews correspondent Elie Seckbach. "There's so much I could do for him."
Garcia said he will try to push Chavez Jr. to be fierce, believing the boxer just needs to have that kind of hunger to really become a competitive force in boxing.
"Even though he has been trained by great trainers like Freddie Roach, I think there's point where he's not hungry anymore," Garcia said. "I want to win and I want my fighters to win title, I want my fighters to beat the best fighters out there."
"So if I have to smack him, I'll smack him. If I have to pinch him, if I'll go wake him up and get him by his ears, I'll go wake him up. And I think that Chavez needs and I think we are going to be a great great match," said Garcia.
Seckbach said Chavez Jr. indeed expressed interest to train with Garcia, but it's still uncertain when it will be.
After suffering his first loss in his career at the hands of Sergio Martinez and subsequently suspended for testing positive for marijuana, Chavez Jr. is set to make his return in the ring against American Brian Vera on Aug. 3 in Mexico.