'Rising Stars' shine at Los Lunas

Ringside report by Trevor Trujillo
Photos by Chris Cozzone

Los Lunas High School played host to TNT Boxing Club’s Rising Stars event Saturday. The 24-bout card hosted fighters from all over New Mexico as well as Texas.

Fights began with a 58-pound bout between Abraham Perez of Perez Boxing and Tony Lerna of Armijo Boxing, El Paso. Lerna towered over his younger opponent, but, in round one, the Perez fighter showed he had no problem with trading punches with his adversary. Round two was all Lerna; he threw long combinations which kept Perez at a distance. The Perez fighter showed tremendous heart and ended the final round with a solid right hook against the head of Lerna, but it was too little, too late, as Lerna took the bout. 

Ewing vs. Espinoza

John vs. Fajardo

Alderete vs. Martinez

White vs. Betz

Dominguez vs. Arrillio

Hogue vs. Givens

The second fight of the evening was between Slater Ray Pope of Vecino’s Boxing and Sergio Madrid of Campeon, Espanola. Pope began the fight on the defensive, while the taller Madrid spent most of round one throwing three-punch combinations and bouncing back out. Pope was out of gas at the end of round two, but came out fired up in round three, he showed good lateral movement and was never scared to exchange punches, but Madrid was just too much.

Luis Maldonado of the host club TNT faced off with Justice Jiron of Albuquerque PAL. Jiron exhibited supreme counter punching and crisp combinations. Maldonado pressed the action more in round two, but more often than not, found himself on the receiving end of a nasty uppercut or a flurry. Round three was all Jiron and the Albuquerque PAL boxer won the bout.

El Paso native Angel Salas met with Jose Luis Fria of Martinez Boxing at 74 lbs. These young sluggers came out looking for a kayo. Fria got the better of the punches in round one, but Fria came out anything but cold in round two. He handed a vicious barrage of punches early and took the round. The third round was an all-out brawl. The fighters exchanged close range punches, each landing their fare share of hard shots, but it was Fria who found himself planted in the mat mid-round, as Salas seals the deal with a last round knockdown.

Two 12-year-old fighters, Eric Miranda of TNT Boxing and Jonathan Bernal of Alderete Boxing, stepped into the ring to face off in the 72-pound division. Despite being much shorter than his opponent, Miranda found a rhythm in round one, dodging jabs and slipping nicely, he just couldn’t dial up the proper counter punch. Bernal decided to take the fight to close range in round two, but mid-round he decided to change up his game plan after eating a fierce overhand right. Miranda exhibited solid defense, but did not have the stature to capitalize on Bernal’s mistakes.  

At 90 lbs. Ricardo Sanchez of Armijo Boxing in El Paso met Chris Suire of Campeon in Espanola. A standing eight early in round one was only the beginning of a long night for the El Paso fighter. Sanchez looked ready to go to battle even after the bout, bobbing, weaving, and shadow boxing in his corner before the results were read. Sanchez won the bout in a landslide.  

Los Lunas fighter Jesus Gomez came to do battle with Fidel Castro of Henry’s Boxing. This 92-pound bout was a brawl from bell to bell. It was Gomez who out-slugged the Henry’s fighter.

Jose Accorta of Vecino’s Boxing faced off with Moises Pinon of Martinez Boxing. These two 95-pound fighters wasted no time getting acquainted with each other, the taller Pinon got the best of the round, but Accorta came back with a pair of knockdowns in round two to even the bout. The final round would decide the fight, and Pinon would not let this bout slip away. His blue gloves had turned to red at the end of the final round and he won the bout.

Gabriel Da La Mora faced off with Jovani Rodarte at 97-pounds. These two El Paso natives began the fight at a staggering pace, but round one would be as far as it went as the much taller Rodarte ended the fight with a TKO. De La Mora showed tremendous heart and still wanted to fight even after the referee had called the action.

In the tenth fight of the evening TNT’s Jesus Tapia came to face off with Pilar Lucero of Alderete Boxing at 110 lbs. Tapia, towering over his opponent, wasted no time in this fight and ended Lucero’s day within seconds.

In the first open division fight of the evening Nicki Taylor of Vecino’s Boxing went to battle with Espanola native Noel Talavera. Talavera started off sluggish, but Taylor ran out of gas midway through round one and Talavera ran away with the round. Round two was all Talavera and although nicely dressed Taylor would not make it to round three.

Fifteen-year-old Isiah Renteria came all the way from Odessa, Texas to do battle with Warrior’s boxer Diego Bautista. Despite being substantially shorter than his foe, Bautista managed to land solid punches by working angles and boxing his way inside. In round three, however, Renteria realized how big he was and how small Bautista is. At the end of round three the Warrior from Warrior’s was left bloodied. The Texan fighter proved to be too much for the Albuquerque native. 

San Juan boxer Daniel Guzman faced Joaquin Avila from the Omega Fight Team, in the most evenly matched bout of the night. Guzman kept most of round one until he left the door open for a flurry of punches from the Omega fighter late in the round. These two fighters put it all on the line, and each could barely stand at the end of the bout. The bout could have gone either way, but it was a third round standing eight that won the San Juan Boxer the fight. 

After an intermission and a dance competition Damond Torres of TNT Boxing entered the ring to represent his club against Enrique Palimino of Campeon Boxing. Both fighters came out looking for a first round knock out, but the brawl would go the distance, with Torres winning the bout.

In the 115 lb. Division David Quezoda of Espanola took on Orestas Castro of Henry’s Boxing. Quezoda never stopped throwing punches, and never lost his desire to win, but it was Castro who held this fight from opening bell to closing bell. 

The fifteenth bout of the evening featured Julio Gomez of TNT Boxing and Joshua Mena of Perez Boxing. These lightning quick 113-pound fighters came to entertain, but the referee disqualified the TNT fighter for throwing a punch after the referee had called for a break, and Mena was awarded the bout.

In the only female bout of the evening Desiree Duran of TNT Boxing took on Shannon Vigil of Campeon Boxing. A stiff left jab from Duran followed by a solid right earned her the round, but Vigil came out a different fighter in round two, pressing the action more and working forward the extra work paid off as Vigil took the bout. 

Fifteen-year-old David Robinson of Eddies Boxing in Socorro traveled to do battle with Robert Hawkins of Odessa, Texas. Seconds into round one Robinson was sent to the mat. Seconds later the bout was stopped for a headgear malfunction. A few more seconds later, Robinson was sent back to Socorro. A hard hitting, lightening fast Hawkins ran away with the fight.  

TNT’s Marcus Ewing entered the ring with Pueblo, Colorado’s Daniel Espinoza. These two 135-pounders have some power. Espinoza landed two hard right hands early and never let up, but Ewing fought through the barrage of punches. Ewing came out more aggressive in round two, but was quickly shut down by a flurry from Espinoza, who scored a standing eight-count in the round. Round three was a hard fought round, Ewing landed staggering punches early, but a stiff left hook gave the Colorado fighter life. In the closest fight of the night TNT boxer Ewing edged Colorado’s Espinosa.

Badoni fighter, Grant John and Albuquerque PAL fighter, Alejandro Fajardo went to work in the open division. A hard hitting Fajardo came trying to prove something. He gave John everything he had, but the Badoni fighter was relentless. Showing tremendous heart and fight, John never gave up. He landed some monster shots in the final round, but it was too little too late as the PAL fighter won the fight. 

Eric Martinez, from TNT Boxing came to square off with Charles Alderete of Alderete Boxing. Alderete came out firing, but Martinez answered right back with some punishing blows of his own. Alderete was lightening quick and had too much power behind his blows for the TNT fighter. It looked like this was going to be a three round throw down, but the bout only went one round before it was put to an end. 

Fighting at 123-pounds Elias White of Eddies Boxing came to go to battle with Tyrone Betz of Campeon in Espanola. These two through punches throughout round one, neither tiring. Both threw non-stop fire until mid-round when fatigue set in. Round three began as the last two had, both fighters throwing wildly, and mid round both were spent. Betz returned to his corner completely out of gas. Both fighters bounced nervously in their corners as the judges decisions were tallied. In the end it was Elias White who was the victor. 

TNT boxer Eduardo Dominguez faced Perez fighter Leo Arrillio in the 130-pound division for the co-main event. Although lacking in the height department, Arrillio managed well in round one, he used his rapid head movement and close range hooks to keep his opponent at bay. The taller Dominguez however found his sweet spot late in round one. Round two was hard fought by both fighters, the size of Dominguez began to wear on the Arrillio, and he began to retreat when faced with combinations. Arrillio was faced with adversity though a taller opponent, but stuck to his game plan and came away with a victory over the hometown fighter.  

Headlining the 24-bout affair was Suanitu Hogue of Albuquerque Pal and Eddie Givens of Henry’s Boxing. A ripped Givens stepped in to face one of the most experienced amateur fighters New Mexico has to offer. Hogue began the fight working off his jab, trying to bridge the gap between himself and his adversary. Givens remained at bay until mid-round when he unleashed punishing body shots on the PAL boxer. Givens, sporting a professional style of boxing, was conttnt on allowing Hogue to come in and hit him. Defensively Givens was solid, but his lack of offensive initiative lost him the fight. Hogue, improves his record while Givens drops one.