Boxing often provides a way out for people who are in difficult circumstances. For some, it began as a way to stay out of trouble.
For Gian Garrido, who’ll be battling Edward Ulloa Diaz in a six-rounder on August 10 at Sony Hall, boxing has given him a lot of the tools necessary to carry on with all parts of his life.
Calling himself a “chubby, overweight kid,” Garrido says he first entered a boxing gym at age 17, and virtually from that moment forward, everything changed for him.
“Boxing gave me the discipline, not only inside the ring but outside,” he says.
A lot of fighters have been inspired by watching renowned pros in the ring. For Garrido, that exemplar was Floyd Mayweather Jr., the legendary multiple-division champion. But Garrido competed in the 178-pound division in the amateurs.
Garrido made his pro debut in the Dominican Republic in April 2021 with a first-round stoppage of Javier Mora Fortuna. He won his first three fights by one-round KO; he got a test in September 2022 as he took on undefeated (5-0) Israel Goldman, and he won a six-round split decision.
Garrido, who lives in Flushing, Queens, is well-traveled, having fought three times in the D.R., along with Philadelphia, New Jersey, Cleveland, Colombia, and Greenville, SC. This will be the first time he’s fought in New York City.
In his last bout, taking place on April 14, Garrido won a four-round decision over Pablo Jesus Rojas at the 2300 Arena in Philly. That brought the 25-year-old’s record to 10-0 (with seven KOs).
What’s interesting about Garrido’s career is that he has consistently come down in weight from the beginning. For his pro debut he came in at 175 pounds, but then he moved down into the super middleweight class, and for his last outing, he was a trim and ready 161-3/4. So it can be argued that he is in his best shape as a professional. And at 5’11”, he can do a more effective job of utilizing his height and reach in an approach that features a potent left hook.
Garrido is also dedicated to imparting some of the wisdom he’s picked up through boxing to others who either want to aspire to compete or just want to live a healthier lifestyle. In that way he is not much different from a lot of the people we’ve seen fighting at Sony Hall over the past year.
He is a trainer at the Bout Fight Club in Manhattan, which is co-owned by Brian Ceballo, the star NYC amateur and current junior middleweight contender who has fought on two of the Boxing Insider shows.
And no doubt he preaches that the physical part of the game is only part of it.
“Mentally, this is the most difficult thing I’ve ever encountered,” says Garrido. Indeed, mental strength will be his greatest ally as he enters the ring in Times Square on August 10.