Photo by Craig FritzTribune file photo

Tribune file photo

Ray Sanchez III of Albuquerque is facing the biggest test of his boxing career Saturday against undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. of Los Angeles. Sanchez worked out at his home gym in this 2003 photograph.

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There are boxers in front of Ray Sanchez III that need to go down.

Boxers with names. Local legends with reputations. Guys the Albuquerque boxer needs to step around for one reason or the other.

The first guy with a name is the obvious one - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

The undefeated Chavez will be Sanchez's foe Saturday at Tingley Coliseum. It will be Sanchez's biggest fight to date for other obvious reasons.

It's Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Chavez is undefeated.

The fight will be on pay-for-view but blacked out in the Albuquerque area.

Chavez comes from Los Angeles, a big-time boxing market likely to pay pay-for-view bucks to watch their homeboy fight. And maybe become Sanchez fans if Sanchez can pull the minor upset.

It's a Top Rank Inc. fight. This isn't some lame local production. Sure, Top Rank has been responsible for its share of tin-can cards, but that name gives the fight more legitimacy.

And if Sanchez wins, it will give his name more legitimacy.

So far, Sanchez, 24, has been more flash than substance; more promise than production.

It's not that Sanchez is a bad fighter. It's more that we aren't yet sure if he's a good fighter.

His schedule has looked too much like the University of New Mexico men's basketball schedule. Too many cupcakes.

Sanchez, a light middleweight, has fought foes he was expected to beat. He has won 20 of his 21 bouts.

And now here comes Chavez boasting a 33-0-1 record surely fattened up with a few tin cans but still courting an unblemished record.

An unblemished record backed by a pedigree boxing name.

It is a win probably within Sanchez's reach. Chavez is on Sanchez's soil. The fight is at altitude. And if the judges are from New Mexico, Chavez Jr. is in serious trouble.

It's also a win that would do much to propel Sanchez's career and get him closer to two other names he needs to brush into the dusty corners of our memories - Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero.

Sanchez has claimed Tapia and Romero to be his friends and mentors. They also are New Mexico's last ties to big-time boxing, especially Tapia, a former five-time world champ.

It's not that a win over Chavez Jr. would propel Sanchez past Tapia or even to Tapia's former level. It won't. Tapia is Hall-of-Fame. Sanchez is still on the lower steps of the ladder.

Sanchez needs to beat better foes. Sanchez needs to wrap at least one world championship belt around his waist.

But there is no question that Albuquerque needs someone, anyone, to make a step up nationally. We've been too long without a real champion.

A win over Chavez Jr. on pay-for-view would be a spark flicked into those dying embers of hope.