Legacy Promotions not giving up on its card
Eight-bout event is still set for June 27
In these uncertain times, brothers and boxing co-promoters Jordan and Aaron Perez continue to balance determination and flexibility.
For now, Albuquerque’s Legacy Promotions is holding on to its June 27 date for a planned professional boxing card at the Albuquerque Convention Center’s Kiva Auditorium.
But in light of continued coronavirus precautions, Legacy’s Jordan Perez said, a more realistic target might be the second weekend in July.
On Wednesday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham extended through the end of May a public health emergency order that would prohibit large gatherings. What happens beyond this month, no one knows.
In any case, Perez said, Legacy is not giving up on a card that was originally scheduled for March 28, moved to May 9 and moved again to June 27.
“We don’t want to cancel,” Perez said, “due to the fact that we’ve already sold a lot of tickets and we want to honor that.”
There’s a possible change at the top of the card, Perez said. Albuquerque featherweight Jason Sanchez (15-1, eight knockouts) is scheduled to fight the main event, but Sanchez, a Top Rank, Inc., contract fighter, might have a conflict.
Top Rank has announced tentative plans to begin promoting shows (with no fans in attendance, as the UFC is doing) in early June. Nothing is definite, Perez said, but Sanchez could be involved.
Perez said Legacy, on behalf of the fighters, would love to stage a card with no fans in attendance. But with no TV revenue involved, that’s impossible.
If Sanchez were to get a spot on a Top Rank card, Perez said, junior lightweight Aaron Angel Perez (10-0, six KOs) — Jordan’s nephew and son of co-promoter Aaron — likely would be moved to the main event. As of now, he’s matched against Mexico native and Clovis resident Rafael Reyes (18-10, 14 KOs).
Also on the card as currently scheduled is junior middleweight Jose Luis Sanchez (11-1, four KOs), Jason’s brother, who’s matched against Moris Rodriguez (8-16-1, five KOs) of Sacramento, California.
As of now, eight bouts are scheduled.
RECOGNIZED: Albuquerque MMA fighter Jodie Esquibel was the recipient this week of an “Honorable Menschen” award from ESPN MMA reporter and host Ariel Helwani.
Esquibel, a paramedic, has spent time in Gallup working as a volunteer at a COVID-19-positive clinic.
“That’s an amazing act on her part,” Helwani said.
Gallup has become a COVID-19 hot spot and was locked down by Lujan Grisham, at the request of Mayor Louie Bonaguidi, from May 1-10.
“I live in a healthy body and mind, and I invite the challenges I will face in the coming days,” Esquibel wrote on Instagram at the outset of her work in Gallup.
NO CUTTING IN LINE: The governor’s extension of the public health emergency order means three Albuquerque boxers won’t get back to either of their jobs for at least another two weeks.
Junior lightweight Fidel Maldonado Jr., welterweight Josh Torres and flyweight Matthew Griego all work as barbers when they’re not boxing. They’ve been out of their shops since March 23, sidelined by coronavirus concerns.
“I’m sorry fam, please hang in there with us!” Torres posted on Facebook.
The city’s gyms, meanwhile, also remain off-limits.
MAYES EVENT: Heavyweight Don’tale Mayes (7-3), who trains at Albuquerque’s Jackson-Wink MMA, weighed in on Friday at 241 pounds for his fight Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida, against Brazil’s Rodrigo Nascimento (7-0). Nascimento weighed 255 pounds.
Mayes is a Kentucky native who came to Jackson-Wink from Jeffersonville, Indiana. He earned a UFC contract in July after his third appearance on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
Mayes is coming off a loss by third-round submission (heel hook) to Frenchman Cyril Gane in October.