Sanchez lands a big title fight
Albuquerque boxer to face Rivera for featherweight crown
Albuquerque boxer Jason Sanchez, it appears, finally has that elusive high-risk, high-reward fight that — with a victory — could propel him into the world rankings.
Sanchez (12-0, six knockouts) is scheduled to face Puerto Rican prospect Jean Carlos Rivera (15-0, 10 KOs) in a featherweight bout Oct. 31 in Panama.
The Oct. 31 card is to be staged in conjunction with the 2018 World Boxing Organization Convention, scheduled for Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in Panama City. The WBO has announced neither the card nor the Sanchez-Rivera bout, but Top Rank, Inc., which promotes Rivera, confirmed the matchup to the Journal.
Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler said the WBO Intercontinental featherweight title will be at stake.
Sanchez, 23, has been impressive throughout his 5½-year pro career but has not faced competition of Rivera’s caliber. His 12 victories have come against fighters with a combined record of 93-163-13.
The Albuquerque boxer’s toughest test thus far was against Mexico’s German Meraz, who entered the fight against Sanchez six months ago with a 58-46-2 record. Sanchez won the eightround bout by unanimous decision, winning every round on two of the three official scorecards.
Sanchez was scheduled to fight Mexico’s Danny Flores (15-13-1) on June 23 at Route 66 Casino Hotel, but the bout was scrubbed after it was discovered Flores was under suspension after having been knocked out in a fight two weeks earlier.
It’s not as if Sanchez has been coddled by Albuquerque’s Legacy Promotions, which has staged his last nine fights.
Last November, Legacy had Sanchez matched against Ray Ximenez, a Texan who had a 16-1 record at the time. But Ximenez (now 18-1) dropped out, as did a replacement, and Sanchez wound up beating Stephon McIntyre (3-35-4 at the time) by lopsided unanimous decision.
Rivera, 23, turned pro in 2014 after compiling a 78-6 amateur record. He signed with Top Rank in March 2016.
NMBHOF: Seven new inductees will join the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame at the organization’s annual banquet, scheduled for Oct. 27 at the Embassy Suites. They are:
Brooks Byrd, Clovis: amateur and professional boxer.
Pat Holmes, Santa Fe: promoter. Jim Lilley, Roswell: amateur boxer, referee, coach, New Mexico Athletic Commission member.
Sandy Martinez-Pino, Albuquerque: USA Boxing administrator, judge, timekeeper, NMAC member.
Jerry Martinez, Roswell: amateur and pro boxer, founder of the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame.
Dr. Reynaldo Martinez, Roswell: fight doctor.
Tony Romero, Clovis: amateur and pro boxer.
Tickets for the banquet, priced at $40, are available by contacting Austin Killeen by phone (505-681-8151) or email (scottpondnm@gmail.com).