
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 20, 1995                   TAG: 9505220048
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GARCIA DIES FROM BOXING INJURIES

Colombian fighter Jimmy Garcia died early Friday after doctors disconnected life support systems that had kept his heart beating for 13 days following his challenge for the WBC super featherweight title.

His death was not unexpected by the doctors or by Gabriel Ruelas, the fighter whose fists ended up killing him.

``I was just hoping for a miracle during the past few days,'' he said.

Ruelas was especially upset because he had promised to make someone pay for the weeks he spent training to fight Garcia on May 6. Garcia ended up paying with his life.

``I regret saying that,'' Ruelas said of his comments in a prefight press conference. ``I'm not a fighter who talks a lot. Unfortunately, what I said kind of turned out to be true.''

Ruelas visited the unconscious fighter in the hospital and met with Garcia's family several times. After the first visit, he prepared himself for Garcia's death.

The decision to disconnect Garcia's ventilator came after doctors found no brain activity and called his family in to be with him in his last hours.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB