Fred Apostoli vs. Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Garcia 154 lbs beat Fred Apostoli 160 lbs by KO at 2:07 in round 7 of 15
- Date: 1939-10-02
- Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA
- Referee: Billy Cavanaugh
- Judge: Marty Monroe
- Judge: George LeCron
NYSAC World Middleweight Title
World Middleweight Title (as recognized by the California State Athletic Commission)
Apostoli was knocked down three times in the 7th round. The referee waved the count off at "2" on the final knockdown.
"With a thundering barrage of right hand bolo punches, Ceferino Garcia of the Philippines, Monday night won the middleweight championship claims of Fred Apostoli by scoring a TKO over the San Franciscan in the 7th round before 10,000 electrified fans in MSG. Referee Billy Kavanaugh stopped the massacre at 2:07 of the 7th after Ceferino had floored the champion three times in that session. Although he had lost to smaller champions - Barney Ross and Henry Armstrong - Garcia gave Apostoli the worst beating of his career, taking 4 of the 6 rounds that preceded the KO. A bolo smashed into Apostoli's chin after about 30 seconds of the 7th and was floored for a no count by a bombardment of right uppercuts. Upon arising, Fred was then met by another uppercut that sent him sprawling on his back. He rose at the 9-count and was knocked into a neutral corner. Then it was that Kavanaugh intervened mercifully." -United Press
- The UP article stated that Apostoli won the 6th round by forcing the battle, but referee Kavanaugh took the round from him for hitting on the break.
Post-fight comment
- "We'll fight Al Hostak any place and at any time to decide the undisputed title, even if we have to go into Hostak's own back yard in Seattle." -George Parnassus, Garcia's manager, on wanting to unify with NBA middleweight champ Al Hostak.