Jose Luis Garcia vs. Joe Alexander

Joe Alexander beat Jose Luis Garcia by KO at 1:25 in round 1 of 10

• Date: 1973-05-21
• Location: Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Referee: Hector Cardona

"Joe Alexander, 212, scored a freak 1st round knockout Monday night over top-ranked Jose Luis Garcia, 218, of Venezuela. Garcia landed a solid right uppercut to Alexander's chin midway through the 1st round and the impact of the blow shot Alexander's head into Garcia's face. Garcia's forehead split open, a cut that would later require nine stitches to close, and the Venezuelan was left dazed and groggy. Alexander, of Atlanta, Ga., then applied a left-right combination that knocked Garcia out at 2:35 of the round. There was a later report that Garcia, ranked No. 10 by the WBC, suffered a head injury in the bout." -United Press International

• Due to the 60 day suspension incurred by Garcia being knocked out, it scuttled Garcia's scheduled June 18th match with Jerry Quarry in MSG. Garden matchmaker, Teddy Brenner, then matched Quarry with Earnie Shavers on the date, however, Quarry eventually pulled out with an intestinal flu. Finally, Brenner kept the date by matching Shavers with Jimmy Ellis.