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Chris Cozzone: Three cards may come to town in January
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With just one pro card since September, the local boxing scene has been slow.
But things should speed up in January with two, possibly three, cards in the works.
Top Rank will return to New Mexico on Jan. 5 when they bring a Telefutura-televised card to Las Cruces at Dickerson's Event Center. The main event is a ten-round lightweight bout between Jose Armando Santa-Cruz (19-4-2, 13 KOs), of Michoacan, Mexico, and Tijuana's Luis Arceo (19-4-2, 13 KOs).
At least three local fighters are already penciled in for the lineup: Albuquerque light heavyweight Mike Alderete (4-0, 3 KOs), former national amateur champ Austin Trout (6-0, 6 KOs) of Las Cruces, and Duke City pro debuting featherweight Marcos Acosta. Trout may be fighting for a WBC World Youth junior middleweight belt.
Romero Productions is also working on an all-local card for the following weekend at Sky City Casino in Acoma. The lineup should be released and finalized next week.
Right now, Socorro's Joaquin Zamora (12-2-1, 10 KOs), Espanola's Monica Lovato (8-1, 4 KOs), Albuquerque's Jackie Chavez (9-2, 3 KOs), heavyweight transplant Felix Abner (2-0, 1 KO), originally from Chicago, and Socorro's Adrian Valdez, a former top amateur who's been M.I.A. for several years but is now ready to make his pro debut at 156 pounds, are possibilities for a card that, at this point, is looking to be solidly matched by promoter Juan Romero.
Other possible shows for January include those promoted by Fresquez Productions and newly formed New Mexico Promotions, who is still working on a venue for a benefit show in honor of fallen fighter Vicente "Picosito" Garcia.
Garcia was shot and killed in October but a large portion of the boxing community has committed themselves to keeping the former welterweight's memory alive by wearing Garcia T-shirts and shouting "It's Pico time!" at local fight cards.
Robert Padilla, Garcia's father/trainer, and part of the promotion team, says a card headlining either heavyweight contender Joe Mesi (33-0, 26 KOs) of Buffalo, N.Y., or former champion Luis "Yory Boy" Campas (88-9, 72 KOs) of Mexico with an all-local undercard, was near completion. But he said noncasino venues in town were charging impossible rates, making it difficult for a start up promoter. Padilla has not had any luck convincing a casino to hold the card.
"It's a shame the city doesn't do anything to help out the boxing scene," says Padilla.
. . .
Speaking of the high costs of a pro boxing card, the New Mexico Athletic Commission will begin, Jan. 1, mandatory drug testing for athletes. The somewhat-monthly meeting scheduled Tuesday night will address the testing, along with sanctioning amateur mixed martial arts cards and the fight dates slated for January.
MMA shows: New Mexico's top mixed martial arts fighter Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez (18-0) will round off a solid year Wednesday night when he headlines a UFC "Ultimate Fight Night" card on Spike TV.
Sanchez takes on proven veteran Joe "Diesel" Riggs (28-8) of Phoenix-his third name opponent this year.
In August, Sanchez dominated Karo Parisyan for a decision, proving naysayers wrong that he was too green for the top contender. In May, Sanchez decisioned the difficult John Alessio at "UFC 60."
In fact, since winning his division on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show in 2005, Sanchez has blasted through rugged competition and is recognized by many as the heir apparent for the UFC's welterweight crown.
Reigning king Matt Hughes (40-5) was dethroned in November by Georges St. Pierre (14-3), who, by the way, has been training here in Albuquerque at Jackson's Gaidojutsu. A title shot for Sanchez could come as early as next summer - if he gets by Riggs.
"Ultimate Fight Night" will air from the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramir, Calif., at 6 p.m.
Sanchez's stablemate Keith Jardine (11-2-1) is on target for his biggest fight on Dec. 30. Jardine faces Forrest Griffin (13-3) in the co-main of "UFC 66" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, headlining the long-anticipated rematch between light heavyweight champion Chuck "the Iceman" Liddell (19-3) and former champ Tito Ortiz (16-4).
The winner of Jardine-Griffin could get a shot at the winner of Liddell-Ortiz in 2007.
