Known on social media as “El Rey Chatarrero” (The Scrap King), Javier García Roche is a former Spanish boxing champion and a popular social media personality, known for working in the scrap business and for his social work, especially with animals. According to an interview on the TikTok profile of @lover.studiosss, he is dedicated to the scrap business, metal recycling, and industrial recycling. He claims to be unfamiliar with what an economic crisis is, and that it was the death of his father that drove him to pursue this business model. For many, his story is inspiring, although the truth is there is much behind this persona.
Who is “El Chatarras Palace” or “El Rey Chatarrero”?
Born in Barcelona in 1982, he is a former professional Spanish boxer and was the Spanish champion in the super welterweight category. Although he calls himself El Rey Chatarrero, his real name is Javier Garcia Roche, and his fame soared after his appearance on the show “A cara de perro” on the Cuatro network. His beginnings as a boxer took place while working on a farm when he was young. There is no exact date for the start of his professional boxing career; his early years in the sport were marked by his work and street fights in the 2010s.
He was the Spanish super welterweight champion, with a record of 19 wins (12 by KO), 5 losses, and 1 draw.He transitioned from amateur to professional boxing, eventually becoming the Spanish super welterweight champion. He became famous for his scrap yard business and his dedication to training young people in marginalized situations, founding ‘Chatarras Palace’ His personal life has been marked by fights, boxing, his time in prison for stabbing a young man, and his apparent life change.
Inspiring story?
He recently gave an interview on a TikTok profile called @lover.studiosss, where he was asked about his scrap business. In his statements, he said:
“My father died. Our family was in deep depression, and in critical moments I always make the right decision,” he said. “My father was on his deathbed, in very bad condition… ‘What would my dad do? Open a scrap yard.’ So I opened the scrap yard.” “I come from a very hardworking family, truly driven,” he emphasized. “The scrap yard is in full swing. If I go all out, the scrap yard is in full swing – I mean, we have scrap coming out of our ears,” he said. However, there are many voices claiming and pointing out that the business was inherited from his father, and that his mother manages it.
Garcia Roche’s new chapter
Beyond judging whether it is a sensational story or not, the truth is that García Roche carries out socially-oriented work focused on animals through his social media profiles. Shelters, adoptions, animal care are some of the topics he now promotes, dedicating his time to protecting animal rights. This is how it may be that his life has taken a 180-degree turn: from being in a ring and in situations that he would likely not want to experience again, to managing a scrapyard that brings him significant economic benefits, as well as dedicating his life to social work such as animal protection.