Boxing history of New Mexico
Do you know the man to the right? The man is Benny Chavez and he was the first New Mexican to fight for a world title. His story - and hundreds others- will be featured in an upcoming book on the history of boxing in New Mexico, from 1868 to the present.
The book, started by the late Jim Boggio more than two decades ago, is on its way to completion by boxing writer Chris Cozzone. The book chronicles the history of boxing in New Mexico, from 1868 to the present; and showcases New Mexico’s greatest fighters, from Benny Chavez to Eddie Mack; Larry Cisneros to Art Aragon; Joey Limas and the Olguin Brothers to Bobby Foster; Tommy Cordova and Louie Burke to Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero.
Cozzone is making a final push at research as he begins writing the chronicles, and he is looking for relatives, photos and materials to use in the book. If you have information on the following list of fighters and fight game-related people who made the last century-and-a-half of fistiana possible in New Mexico, contact Chris Cozzone by email or cell: 505-453-0585.
| Harry C. Bennie, of Lake Valley, N.M. Fought in the 1880s. |
| Hugh McSparron (McSparrow), of Gallup. Fought in the 1880s. |
| Frank (Buck) Childs of Texas. Top fighter began his career in Santa Fe in the late 1880s. |
| J. Edward Priest of Albuquerque. Fought in the early 1890s. |
| James Flynn of Ireland, fought from 1892 to 1899, headlining in Albuquerque & Cerillos. |
| Billy Groves of Ohio/New Mexico. Early 1890s. |
| Anton Mazzonovich of New Mexico - Hunted down Geronimo and claimed to be a NM prizefight champion. |
| Kid Dovey of Kansas City, Mo. Fought throughout N.M. 1890s. |
| Australian Billy Smith of Australia/El Paso. A frequent headliner in the 1890s in N.M. |
| Sheriff Pat Garrett of Las Cruces. The man who shot Billy the Kid was also known to prize fight. 1890s-1900. |
| Young Griffo. Was a New Mexico champion in early 1900s. |
| Louis Newman of Las Vegas. Fought 1907 to 1913. Moved to Denver and, later, to Detroit. |
| Promoter James Tolle of Las Vegas. Promoted in the 1900s. |
| Elisia Levi Speckelmier, a.k.a. "The 4D Kid," fought in the 1890s and early 00s. |
| Bill Pettus of Santa Fe/Albuquerque/Madrid/Cimarron. Possibly, N.M.'s best-ever heavyweight. Ended up a famous baseball player in the Negro Leagues out east. Fought 1908 to 1914. |
| Clarence "Soldier" Hunt of Gallup/Albuquerque. Foght in the 1910's. |
| Promoter Mark Levy - promoted in the '10s and '30s |
| Promoters Foxy Miller (Silver City, '00s, '10s) and Otto Forster (Silver City, '10s, '20s) |
| John "Lefty" Floyd of Albuquerque - '10s |
| Al Smaulding of Clayton & Albuquerque - '10s |
| Luis Gonzales of Silver City - c. early '10s |
| Young Griffo - early 1900s. |
Eddie Gregory of Gallup c. 1910-1915 |
| Leo Luna (a.k.a. "Young Herrera") of Albuquerque - '10s |
| Everett (Ev) Winters of Raton - '1908 - '10s |
| Fred "Kid" George, originally from Sacramento, relocated to Albuquerque & Gallup - '10s |
| Jack Torres of Albuquerque - '10s |
| Benny Chavez (the “Original” and “Young Benny”) of Wagon Mound/Albuquerque/Trinidad, fought 1908 to 1922 |
| Solomon Chavez, a.k.a. "Young Benny Chavez" of Albuquerque - 20s-'31 |
| "Young Jack Johnson", a.k.a. "The Big Smoke" of Silver City - '00s, '10s |
| Manuel Chavez of Albuquerque - '10s-'20s |
| Mike Baca of Santa Fe - '10s-20's-'30s |
| Johnny Connolly the "Pecos Valley Wonder" of Roswell - '10s-'20s. Died in 1922. Longest running state champion - fought Mike Baca 9x. |
| Young Mike Baca (Felipe) of Santa Fe - '20s-'30s - son of the Santa Fe legend. |
| "Sailor" Gonzalez of Albuquerque - '10s-'20s |
| Walter Caldwell of Springer - post WWI contender. |
| Promoter Joe Roybal of Las Vegas. Promoted in the 30s. |
| Promoter Louie "Red" Valencia of Albuquerque. In the fight game from the '30s through '7os. |
| Manuel Stern of Albuquerque, 10s and 20s. |
| Young Jim Flynn - late 10s, 20s. |
| Benny Garcia, 10s, 20s - fought mainly in Denver |
| Benny "Kid" Carter - 20s - fought mainly in CO and AZ |
| Dandy Dick Griffin, 1916-1920s, later a promoter in N.M. and Texas. Born in Albuquerque, fought out of Fort Worth, Texas. |
| Young Wallace of Raton - 10s, 20s |
| Louis Pina of Raton - 10s, 20s |
| Henry "Kid" Pacheco of Santa Fe - 20s |
| Manuel "Young" Pacheco of Santa Fe - '20s |
| Nick "Kid" Mortio of San Marcial - 10s, 20s |
| Sailor Kramer of Albuquerque & Los Angeles - 10s, 20s |
| Thomas "Speedball" Hayden of Columbus - WWI and post WWI |
| George "Kid" Marchi - 20s, 30s |
| Benny Cordova, Sr. - '10s-'20s |
| Raoul Cordova - '30s-'40s |
| Benny Cordova, Jr. - 40s |
| Eddie Murdock of Oklahoma/Albuquerque-'20s- '30s |
| Eddie Mack, a.k.a. Pedro Quintana, of Pojoaque/Alamosa, Colo. - '20s-'30s. |
| Mike Vasquez of El Paso/Albuquerque - '20s |
| Jack Myrick of Gallup - 20s, 30s |
| Joseph/Perfecto Romero, a.k.a. Young Joe Rivers - 1913-1919 |
| Esteban "Demon" Rivera of Santa Fe - '10s-'20s |
| Harry "Kid" Schaefer of Albuquerque/Cheyenne - '10s |
| Babe Colima of El Paso & Santa Fe - 20s, 30s |
| Frankie Cantou - 20s, 30s (died in '34) |
| "Young Pancho Villa" brother to Louie "Red" Valencia - '20s |
| Buddy Serrino - 20s, 30s |
| Timo "Dynamite Tommy " Sanchez - '20s-'30s |
| Andy "Gump" Carrillo of Santa Fe - 20s, 30s |
| Joe and Jim Perry of Fort Sumner - 20s, 30s |
| "Barber" Sandoval of Albuquerque - '20s |
| Natividad Juarez, a.k.a. the "Insurrecto Kid" - '10s, '20s, '30s |
| Julio Chiaramonte and his brothers, Nardine and Boney - '30s-'40s |
| Ralph “Sabu” Gallegos - high-ranking amateur, might have turned pro. Later, a politician. |
K.O. Sanchez of Albuquerque - 30s |
| Lee Chavez of Albuquerque - 30s |
| Abie Chavez the “Farmington Flash” - '40s |
| Tony Chavez of Albuquerque (moved to Los Angeles to fight) |
| Emilio Martinez of Wagon Mound and Denver. World title challenger in the ' 30s |
| Charlie "the Black Panther" Tate of Albuquerque - '30s |
| "Hot Shot" Smith of Gallup - '20s and early '30s |
| Young Billy Firpo (Cruz) of Wagon Mound - '30s |
| Ted “Mustang” Garcia of South Dakota/Las Vegas - '30s and '40s |
| Willie Hall of Roswell, '40s |
| Charles McGarrity of Roswell - '40s |
| Larry Cisneros of Questa, N.M. & Los Angeles. Top contender. '30s and '40s |
| Lew Jenkins (early years in N.M.) - former world champ got his start in N.M. '30s |
| Mike Montoya of Espanola/La Veta, CO - 30s |
| Chuck "Chuckers" Hildebrand of Durango - '40s |
| Johnny and Art Johnson of Las Vegas - '30s |
| Tiny Garcia of Santa Fe - 30s |
| Jimmy Ortiz of Santa Fe - 30s |
| Battling Chico of Gallup |
| Frankie "Panchito" Montoya of Las Vegas - '40s |
| Joe Garcia of Santa Fe - 30s - Tiny's brother |
| Alexander "Fabela" Chavez (born in Los Lunas, moved to L.A.) - 40s, 50s |
| Art "Golden Boy" Aragon of Belen & Los Angeles - 40s, 50s, 60s - top contender and world title challenger. |
| Henry Gutierrez of Deming - 50s, 60s |
| Perfecto "Chico" Segura of Los Alamos - 50s, 60s |
| Flory and Joey Olguin of Albuquerque - '60s |
| Joey Limas of Albuquerque - 50s, 60s, 70s |
Earl Large of Clovis & El Paso - 1970s |
| Vito Romero of Albuquerque - 1970s, 1980s |
| Robby Epps of Clovis & Albuquerque, 1970s, 80s |
| Jerry Martinez of Roswell & Albuquerque - 1970s |
| Louie Burke of Las Cruces, 1980s |
| Tommy Cordova of Albuquerque, 1980s |
| Eric Enslin of Albuquerque, 1980s |
| Danny “Pitt Bull” Perez of Albuquerque, 1990s |
| Ronnie Rentz of Albuquerque, 1980s |
| Brooks Byrd of Clovis, 1970s |
| Ray Theragood of Clovis |