Zamora driven by desire
35-year-old elated to be on Tapia card
If one fight per year is all he gets, Joaquin Zamora will gladly take it.
In the meantime, he’s got plenty of other things to do.
Zamora, 35, has been boxing professionally for almost 11 years. He’s had 24 pro fights, compiling a record of 19-4-1 with 12 knockouts.
Fights have never been easy to come by for Zamora, a lefthanded middleweight who frustrates opponents — and at least some promoters — with a slick, defense-first style. Admittedly a slow starter, he likes to study an opponent before opening up.
Lately, the trickle of opportunities has become a drip. In each of the past four years, he has had one fight.
Nevertheless, he says, “I do what I always do. I stay ready, so I don’t have to get ready” when a fight presents itself.
Zamora’s hoping his first bout of 2013— scheduled May 31 on a Teresa Tapia-promoted card at the Crowne Plaza against an opponent yet to be named — isn’t his last bout of 2013.
Whether it is or whether it isn’t, he’s still got:
His family — wife Micah and son Enrique. He recently bought a house in Santa Fe.
His job with the city of Santa Fe as a parking section supervisor.
His studies in business administration at the University of Phoenix.
His new gig as a personal trainer.
Clearly, for Zamora, boxing is a desire and not a need at this point in his life.
Yet, as a desire, it remains a fond one.
“I love boxing,” he said Thursday at a news conference to formally announce the May 31 card. “I’ve never lost the motivation to get up and train, get up and run in the morning.
“Even now that I have a lot more extra responsibility, I still have a desire to do it and do the work.”
At some point, age and those personal and professional responsibilities may overtake that desire. When? He has no idea.
“I live day to day as it is, anyway,” he said. “... But, as of right now, I don’t see it ending anytime soon.”
Zamora’s bout is a co-main event. Welterweight Josh Torres (11-2-1, five KOs), Zamora’s Team Tapia stablemate, is scheduled to fight the other co-main against a yet-to-benamed opponent.
The undercard features a middleweight rematch between Albuquerque’s Charles Alderete (1-2) and Arturo Crespin (8-2-1, three KOs) of Las Vegas, N.M. Crespin defeated Alderete by unanimous decision in a competitive six-rounder in November 2010.
Two Albuquerqueans, Brandon Muñoz and Julio Gomez, are scheduled to make their pro debuts against each other.
Albuquerque’s Brandon Salazar is scheduled to make his pro debut against Phoenix’s Keenan Carbajal, the nephew of former world champion Michael Carbajal.
Albuquerque cruiserweight Adrian Lopez (4-1-1, one KO) will face an opponent yet to be named.
TAPIA FILM: “Tapia,” a documentary by Eddie Alcazar about the life and career of the late Johnny Tapia, is one of 10 films entered in the documentary competition at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
Teresa Tapia said she hopes to have a showing in Albuquerque at a later time.
“It’s a powerful piece,” she said. “... I think what’s going to stand out for most people is how everything he talks about is past tense, like he was telling everyone goodbye.”
Tapia, a five-time world champion, died May 27 of last year from heart disease at age 45.