3 fights, 3 wins, and 100K for Quintana

Leo remains unbeaten at 15-0 with unanimous decision in Las Vegas

In a busy weekend for New Mexico combat sports, with competitions in Utah, Nevada and California, Andres Quintana brought home the biggest prize.

After defeating three opponents in one night in Fresno, Calif., Quintana is $100,000 richer.

In Las Vegas, Nev., Angelo Leo got richer thanks to an undisclosed payday and, more important, is still undefeated.

In Salt Lake City, at USA Boxing nationals, New Mexico’s amateur boxers had plenty of success and are richer for the experience.

Quintana, an MMA featherweight from Roswell who lives and trains in Albuquerque, emerged as the grand prize winner on Friday in Copa Combate — a one-night, international, eight-fighter tournament staged by the promotional firm Combate Americas.

In succession, Quintana defeated Marlon Gonzales, Bruno Cannetti and Alejandro Flores to claim the top prize.

The spinning elbow by which he dispatched Flores in the final was a highlight of the competition.

Leo, a super bantamweight boxer from Albuquerque who now lives and trains in Las Vegas, on Friday defeated Erik Ruiz (17-8-1 seven KOs) via eight-round unanimous decision. Leo is now 15-0 with eight knockouts.

The fight against the rugged Californian, Leo said on social media, was more difficult than the official scorecards — 80-72, 79-73, 79-73 — suggested. Regardless, it’s another step forward for the 24-year-old boxer.

In Salt Lake City, Albuquerqueans Abraham Perez and Sharahya Moreu on Saturday lost their bids for USA Boxing national titles.

Perez, in the men’s Elite 114-pound final, lost by split decision to Michael Angeletti of Spring, Texas. Moreu in the women’s Elite 152-pound weight class, lost by TKO (referee stopped contest) to Oshea Jones of Toledo, Ohio.

Nonetheless, New Mexico boxers had a successful week in Salt Lake City: one gold medal and three silvers.

Earlier in the week, Las Cruces’ Joscelyn Olayo-Munoz defeated Iveth Alvarez of Pueblo, Colo. by unanimous decision for the Bantam Division, female 70-pound title.

On Friday, Ezekiel Martinez of Kirtland lost to Cornellio Phipps of Oxford, Pa., in the Intermediate male 106-pound final.

WIN SOME, LOSE SOME: Quintana trains at Albuquerque’s Luttrell-Yee MMA, but it was a weekend of mixed results for coach Chris Luttrell.

Saturday in Toronto at UFC 231, Brazilian strawweight Claudia Gadelha lost by unanimous decision to Nina Ansaroff (10-5) of Weston, Fla. All three scorecards read 29-28 for Ansaroff.

Gadelha, a former Albuquerque resident, now lives in Las Vegas but trains with Luttrell-Yee.