Holmes’ stable of fighters gains notice
He has a three-card deal with New Jersey-based Sampson Boxing
Most boxing fans have seen televised cards with paltry live attendance and little more crowd noise than that of a public library.
That’s not the case at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Pojoaque, where Santa Fe promoter Pat Holmes has established himself and his stable of New Mexico fighters.
National promoters have taken notice.
On Sept. 30, Holmes will promote a card at Buffalo Thunder in conjunction with New Jersey-based Sampson Boxing. The show will be televised by TYC Sports, an Argentine network that is available on DirecTV(channel 496).
A 10-round international junior welterweight matchup between Argentina’s Juan José Velasco (16-0, nine knockouts) and Mexico’s Juan García Mendez (19-2-2, 12 KOs) will headline the card. But Holmes said the other five scheduled bouts all include at least one New Mexican.
Holmes said promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, a noted talent scout who is credited with having discovered Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines, became aware of Holmes and Buffalo Thunder after a card there last September on a week night — an installment of Fox Sports 1’s “Toe to Toe Tuesday” series — was staged on front of a packed house of some 2,000.
Lewkowicz and Holmes have agreed to a three-show deal, the latter said, to give exposure to Sampson Boxing fighters while getting New Mexico fighters an opportunity to ply their trade.
“They’re borrowing our crowd,” Holmes said. “... These are cards that (Lewkowicz) brings to the Hard Rock or the Orleans (in Las Vegas, Nev.), places like that, and we’re getting them.”
There will be TV exposure for some of the New Mexicans, too. Holmes said a scheduled four-round bout between Rio Rancho middleweight Bryant McClain (4-0-1, one KO) and Albuquerque resident and Mexico native Ambrocio Bautista (2-1) will lead off the telecast.
Española super lightweight Antonio “Tone” Martinez has become the main draw on Holmes’ cards since the promoters’ sons, Brandon and Pat Jr., stopped fighting. Martinez (8-2-4, six KOs) is matched against El Paso’s Gabriel Gutierrez (4-6, three KOs) in a six-rounder.
“God willing, he’s 9-2 after Sept. 30,” Holmes said. “Once he’s 14-2, 15-2, he might have a chance at some of these titles.”
Holmes said Albuquerque featherweight José Osorio (8-3-1, four KOs) has accepted a daunting challenge: an eight-round semi-main event against Argentina’s Roman Ruben Reynoso (20-1-2, nine KOs).
Nonetheless, Holmes said, “that’s a great opportunity for José. For sure, he’s making the telecast.”
Holmes said general-admission tickets already are sold out, with some 150 reserved tickets still available at $40. For tickets, call 505-795-2772.
GADELHA: MMA strawweight Claudia Gadelha (15-2), an Albuquerque resident, is in Japan for her fight on Friday against fellow Brazilian Jessica Andrade (16-6) on a UFC Fight Night card.
Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who has defeated both fighters — Andrade once, Gadelha twice — is picking Gadelha to win.
“Difficult to say,” Jedrzejczyk said Monday on mmafighting.com’s “The MMA Hour”. “They’re both very tough. I think Claudia Gadelha (will win) . ... I know how strong this girl is. She’s an amazing athlete.”
Gadelha and Jedrzejczyk are by no means friends, having traded insults as rival coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 23 and before their second fight.
It was after that second loss to Jedrzekczyk in July 2016 that Gadelha decided to leave her longtime camp in Rio de Janeiro and train full time with Chris Luttrell and Ray Yee in Albuquerque. Her first fight under the LuttrellYee banner was an impressive victory over Poland’s Karolina Kowalkiewicz in June.
Friday’s card can be viewed via digital streaming on UFC Fight Pass. The main card, featuring Gadelha-Andrade, is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
TAPIA TRIBUTE: An amateur boxing card, billed as a tribute to the late Johnny Tapia, is scheduled for Saturday from 1-5 p.m. at the Civic Plaza. There is no admission charge.
Tapia, a five-time world professional champion, also was a two-time Golden Gloves national amateur champion. The Albuquerque native died of heart disease in 2012.