Big crowd expected to see Española’s Martinez
His bout vs. Colorado’s Gallegos headlines Friday card at Marriott Pyramid
Antonio “Tone” Martinez has always packed ’em in on boxing cards staged at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Pojoaque. One might assume that’s because he hails from a few miles away in Española.
That assumption wouldn’t be wrong, but it’s incomplete. Pat Holmes, promoter of Friday’s professional card at the Marriott Pyramid, said he’s expecting a big turnout of Martinez fans from up north for his eight-round junior welterweight (140-pound) main event against Coloradan Miguel Gallegos (5-1-1, one knockout).
What makes Martinez (10-5-4, six knockouts) so popular that his fellow Norteños would travel 160 miles round trip to see him fight?
Well, first off, he’s a fellow Norteño. But there’s this as well:
“I think it’s just because every time I fight I leave it all on the line,” Martinez said before Thursday’s weigh-in. “I’ve never been in a boring fight . ... Every time (the fans) come, I bring it.”
What Gallegos brings is a mystery to Martinez, who said he knows his opponent only by name and hometown (Durango).
“I’m ready for whatever,” he said. “I’m not underestimating anybody, but at the same time I’ve been in there with some tough people.”
WEIGHTY ISSUES: Whatever weight-loss program Lorenzo Benavidez (3-1, one KO) is on, everyone should be.
The Albuquerque boxer, who’s facing Rio Rancho’s Bryant McClain (5-1-1, one KO) Friday in a four-rounder, weighed in on Thursday some 46 pounds lighter than he weighed for his pro debut in September 2018.
McClain, more than a head taller than his opponent, weighed 166.
Jordanne Garcia (4-0-1, one KO), Benavidez’s teammate at Albuquerque’s Power & Glory boxing club, weighed in at 165.2 pounds — well over the contracted weight for her four-round bout and almost five pounds heavier than her opponent, Coloradan Sonya Dreiling (1-0, one KO).
Holmes said a financial adjustment was made and that the Garcia-Dreiling fight would be contested as scheduled.
BAD BLOOD: Well, sort of. Albuquerque bantamweight Santiago Amaro (pro debut) is a former Power & Glory teammate of his opponent, Santiago Giron (1-0, one KO). Amaro now trains at Atrisco Boxing with Fidel Maldonado Sr. and Manuel Anaya.
There was no open hostility between the two Santiagos at the weigh-in, but also no handshake.
No unpleasantries were exchanged between light heavyweights Maurice “The Hulk” Jackson (2-0, two KOs) and Sidiah Parker (pro debut), but they train at rival gyms far better known for MMA — Jackson-Wink for Jackson, FIT-NHB for Parker.
Jackson has a 7-2 record as an MMA fighter. Parker is 18-8 in the cage.
CAGE TO RING: Two more fighters with MMA backgrounds, Albuquerque’s Donald Sanchez and Belen’s Derek Perez, will fight a six-round junior-middleweight bout tonight.
Sanchez, 4-2 with three KOs as a boxer, is 30-20 in the cage. Perez, 2-12-1 in the ring, is 3-7 in the cage.
CARLOS CRESPIN SILVER GLOVES: The 2019 New Mexico Silver Gloves amateur championships, now named in memory of the late Carlos Crespin, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Amigos Y Amigas Inc. Family Center, 1020 Edith Blvd. SE.
Crespin, who for many years staged the Silver Gloves at his gym in Las Vegas, New Mexico, died on Oct. 21. ™