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Chris Cozzone: Tapia, Holm set to fight in N.M.

By Chris Cozzone
Friday, January 5, 2007

Johnny Tapia and Holly Holm are going to be fighting.

Not each other, silly.

They will be the featured attractions in separate boxing shows in New Mexico between February and March.

Tapia (55-5-2, 28 KOs), the five-time world champion, is scheduled to be the main event of a card put on by veteran promoter Lenny Fresquez.

The Albuquerque-born boxer will fight for the first time (maybe his last time) since his shocking TKO loss in September of 2005.

Fresquez said he is working on a date and site, and the card could happen between Feb. 23 through the second week in March. On the same bill, Albuquerque's Hector Mu¤oz (17-1, 11 KOs) is matched up tough with Miguel Torrecillas (16-5-1, 7 KOs), and San Antonio hopeful Gabriel Elizondo (22-2, 10 KOs) will rematch El Paso's Cesar Lopez (20-3, 4 KOs).

On March 22, Fresquez Productions is planning to put on a Fox Sports-televised card headlined by Holly Holm (16-1-2, 5 KOs) in what will be one of three women's world title fights.

After both Mary Jo Sanders (22-0, 6 KOs) and Laila Ali (23-0, 20 KOs) turned down a bout against Holm - Ali for her biggest payday yet of $150,000 - Fresquez said he has decided to stop chasing all the big names.

"We'll make them all come to Holly," Fresquez said Thursday. "We're not afraid of putting her against anyone."

Holm, fighting at welterweight, will attempt to be the first woman boxer to unify the four major belts. Her opponent will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

Two more women's title fights support the Holm headliner: Albuquerque's Jackie Chavez (9-2, 3 KOs) will defend her women's title, as will Kelsey Jeffries (36-9-1, 3 KOs). The triple-title show will be televised on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period," but likely will be blacked out locally.

In other upcoming shows:

Top Rank returns to New Mexico in Las Cruces tonight, with three New Mexicans fighting on the undercard.

Las Cruces' Austin "No Doubt" Trout (7-0, 7 KOs), former U.S. Nationals amateur champion and Olympic alternate, takes a step up in competition with an eight-round bout at 154 pounds against Mexico's Raul "El Toro" Mu¤oz (19-9-1, 15 KOs).

Two bouts will be televised by Telefutura, but neither will involve a local fighter, unless there's an early stoppage. The TV coverage begins at 7 p.m.

In the main event, lightweight contender Jose Armando Santa-Cruz (23-2, 13 KOs) takes on Luis "Vampiro" Arceo (19-4-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-rounder. The co-main event is an eight-round welterweight bout between Texan Noel Rodriguez (10-1, 5 KOs) and Denver's Rob Frankel (18-5, 3 KOs).

Two Albuquerque boxers are scheduled to fight: light heavyweight "Mad" Mike Alderete (4-0, 3 KOs) takes on Dallas' Larry Pryor (2-1, 1 KO); and bantamweight Marcos Acosta enters the pro ranks against Harvey Phillips (0-1) of Cleveland.

Albuquerque's Ray Sanchez III (18-1, 14 KOs) withdrew from his scheduled bout two weeks ago because of a hand injury that will probably require more surgery. Sanchez, a welterweight, might be out until May.

On Jan. 27 at Sky City Casino, two-time promoter Juan Romero is putting the finishing touches on an all-local, seven-bout card.

The main event features Albuquerque welterweight Joaquin Zamora (12-2-1, 10 KOs) against a foe yet to be named. The rest of the card is solidly matched.

The co-main is a North American Boxing Federation women's title bout between Espa¤ola's Monica Lovato (8-1, 4 KOs) against the only boxer to have beaten her in her career - Julia Rubalcava (4-0, 1 KO) of Westminster, Calif.

Two more former top amateurs will make their debuts: Socorro junior middleweight Adrian Lopez returns after several years off to fight mixed-martial-artist-turn-boxer Gabe Montoya of Santa Fe; and super bantamweight David Proa of Albuquerque makes his debut against Las Cruces boxer Steve Losoya (1-3).

Also slated for the card: Duke City strawweight Jodi Esquibel (4-1, KOs) vs. Melissa Shaffer (9-4, 5 KOs) of Tacoma, Wash., in a six-rounder; Albuquerque heavyweight Felix Abner (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Kirby Lee Gillespie (pro debut) of Houston; and, in a possible show-stealer, Albuquerque lightweight Gabe Gonzales (1-1, 1 KO) faces Las Cruces' Colbert Losoya (4-8) in a four-round bout.