|
BEST FIGHT OF THE YEAR |
|
1. Brady vs. Linson
January @ Isleta: Brady steps up in competition to fight J.C. Linson
for the vacant WBC FecarBox 154-pound belt. After 11 rounds of war,
Brady's weight and height gets to Linson, who is stopped. |
2.
Archuleta vs. Barrera
December @ Isleta: Frankie defends NABA superbantam belt against
Marco Antonio Barrera's cousin, the undefeated Alejandro. After a
close 12 rounds, the majority decision goes to Barrera. |
3.
Tapia vs. Barrera
November @ the MGM in Vegas: 5-time world champ Johnny Tapia
gives up IBF belt for a shot at THE featherweight king, Marco Antonio
Barrera
and, for the first time in his career, definitively loses. |
4.
Romero vs. Gomez
June @ Isleta: Danny Romero returns to the ring in a campaign for
World Title #3 by taking on veteran Famosito Gomez. Romero shows
he's still got the goods by stopping Gomez in the 7th. |
5.
Barela vs. Garcia
August @ Isleta: A four-round bloody war between Farmington's
bantamweight prospect Victor Barela and Santa Fe's Bryan Garcia.
Barela knocks Garcia down and wins unanimous decision. |
6.
Gallegos vs. Torrecillas
August @ Isleta: "Conan" Torrecillas from El Paso/Juarez returns
after a year's lay-off to end Las Vegas' Shawn Gallegos clean
record with a split decision win. Gallegos goes down in the 4th. |
7.
Romero vs. Carbajal
September @ Isleta: Romero is unsuccessful in his shot at a 3rd
world
title when WBO Bantamweight champ Cruz Carbajal gets to leave town
with the belt around his waist. Romero is stopped in the 4th when his
eye closes up from a punch earlier in the fight. |
8.
Aragon vs. Aragon
March @ Sky City: Stevie Aragon and Tommy Aragon go 8 rounds
at Sky City. Tommy outslugs Stevie while Stevie tries to outbox
the slugger from the outside. Unanimous decision goes to Tommy. |
9.
Martinez vs. Valdez
December @ Isleta: Battle of the undefeateds! Espanola's Tony Valdez
accepts a fight on 24 hours notice to take on David Martinez. After four
rounds,
Martinez pitches a shutout against the aggressive Valdez. |
10.
(tie) Gallegos vs. Aranday & Archuleta vs. Lucero
March @ Pojoaque: Shawn Gallegos has a hard time against the
ever-aggressive
Juan Aranday, especially after the Mexican puts him down, but wins a
decision. March @ PA:
Frankie Archuleta takes on undefeated Emanuel Lucero on ShoBox. Both
fighters
go down in the 1st but Lucero controls the fight for the unanimous
decision. |
|
Notes: Looks
like New Mexicans still prefer to see a New Mexican fight a New Mexican:
that’s what happened in January when J.C. Linson went up against Joseph
Brady. The first fight card of the year got top honors, followed by the
last fight card of the year, which headlined a 12-round title fight
between Frankie Archuleta and Alejandro Barrera. |
|
|
BEST FIGHTER |
|
1. Johnny
Tapia
5-time world champion Johnny Tapia is still the man in NM.
Tapia loses to Barrera but gains 5th world championship
with close fight over Manuel Medina in the summer. |
|
2. (Tie) Frankie Archuleta |
2. (Tie) Ray Sanchez III |
|
|
3. (Tie)
Joseph Brady |
3. (Tie)
Danny Romero |
|
|
4.
Shawn Gallegos |
|
5.
Miguel “Conan” Torrecillas |
|
6.
Joaquin Zamora |
|
7.
Cesar Lopez |
|
8.
David Martinez |
|
9.
Alex Becerra |
|
10.
(tie) Vernon Payne & Max Heyman |
|
Notes: In the
first two annual polls, this category was entitled “Best Fighter Outside
of Tapia & Romero.” This year, I decided to leave it open to see if
Tapia & Romero were still considered by New Mexicans to be at the top of
the game. Tapia, as expected, came in #1 by a landslide; Romero had to
settle for 4th place, after Archuleta and Sanchez III. Just
ONE vote separated the 2nd and 3rd place ties—in
other words, all four fighters—Archuleta, Brady, Romero, Sanchez
III—received almost exactly the same number of votes. Receiving half
that number was #4 Shawn Gallegos, who still managed to edge out the
only man to beat him, Miguel Torrecillas, who came in #5. Places 6
through 10 were separated by single votes. Joaquin Zamora, who was 1-1
in ’02, came in 6th, followed closely by Lopez, Martinez,
Becerra. |
|
|
BEST FEMALE FIGHTER |
|
1.
Adriana
Delgado |
|
2.
Holly Holm |
|
3.
Stephanie Jaramillo |
|
4-5. (Tie) Jackie Chavez and Monica Michel |
|
6.
Amanda Crespin |
|
7.
Jayla Ortiz |
|
8.
Kayla Kombs |
|
9.
Jennifer Han |
|
10.
Delia Gonzalez |
|
Notes: Delgado
won by a considerable margin. Holm, coming in 2nd, had twice
the votes of anyone following her. Delia Gonzalez, who, like Delgado, is
rated by all three ABC’s, was mostly ignored – perhaps because she
hasn’t fought in NM for years (and, could be, Chamberino is too far
south to be considered part of NM.) Jayla Ortiz, who did not fight at
all in 2002, still managed to come in #7. Despite intending this
category to be for pro fighters, some of NM’s female amateurs crept into
the ratings—showing the need for a separate “Best Female Amateur
Fighter” for next year. |
|
|
BEST
FIGHT CARD |
|
1. (TIE) ARAGON VS. ARAGON
"Showdown at Sky City"
March 2002 |
1. (TIE) BRADY VS. LINSON
Isleta Casino
January 2002 |
|
|
2. Archuleta vs.
Barrera "Double Trouble" card @ Isleta, December 2002 |
|
3. Archuleta - Brady
"Double Jeopardy" card @ Isleta, August 2002 |
|
4. Sanchez vs. Howard
- "Summer Thunder" card @ Santa Ana, August 2002 |
|
5. Romero vs. Gomez
"Power, Pride, Purpose" card @ Isleta, June 2002 |
|
6. Sanchez vs. Alonzo
card @ Santa Ana, September 2002 |
|
7. Gallegos vs.
Aranday KOX card in Pojoaque, March 2002 |
|
8. Romero vs.
Carbajal "Hunger" card @ Isleta, September 2002 |
|
9. Echols vs. Bravo
ESPN2 card @ Santa Ana, June 2002 |
|
10. Archuleta vs.
Guerrero card @ Sky City, June 2002 |
Notes: Top
four were close. A bit of irony: While Santa Ana was voted
best venue, the top fights and fight cards were all at Isleta. Scoring
the poorest:
Romero vs. Guillen card, and the Brady vs. Bowman card. |
|
BEST VENUE IN NM |
|
Santa Ana received 68%
of the votes.
Isleta received 31%. |
|
|
BEST PRO DEBUTER |
|
1. David Martinez
Martinez
debuted at Isleta. He was
6-0 in 2002, and ended the
year with a strong win over previously undefeated Tony Valdez. |
|
2.
Joaquin Zamora
Zamora debuted at
Santa Ana, then lost by
controversial TKO to Juan Salazar in Las Vegas. |
|
3.
Brian Romero
Romero was 2-0 in
'02, debuting in San Antonio, TX
then fighting at Santa Ana in the Summer. |
|
4.
Jason Bray
Bray debuted and
fought all three fights at Santa Ana,
including a strong 1st fight when he destroyed Ed Abeyta,
and a 4-round war with tough Danny Almanzar. |
|
5.
Holly Holm
Holm was 4-0 in
'02, starting out on two Fresquez cards
then switching over to Santa Ana. Finished year out with
a dominating performance over Bonnie Mann. |
|
|
MOST EXCITING FIGHTER |
|
1. Ray
Sanchez III |
|
2. Miguel “Conan”
Torrecillas |
|
3. Cesar Lopez |
|
4. Joseph Brady |
|
5. (tie) Shawn
Gallegos & Johnny Tapia |
|
6. Holly Holm |
|
7. Tony Valdez |
|
8. Frankie Archuleta |
|
9. David Martinez |
|
10. Monica Michel |
|
Notes: With
more than double the votes of #2, Ray Sanchez III was voted #1 despite
his loss to Mendez. |
|
|
MOST IMPROVED PROFESSIONAL |
|
1. Joseph “the Assassin” Brady |
|
2. David “Finito”
Martinez |
|
3. Miguel “Conan”
Torrecillas |
|
4.
Nazareth
Rojas |
|
5. Frankie Archuleta |
|
|
BEST AMATEUR FIGHTER |
|
1. Austin Trout |
|
2-3. (Tie) Adrian
Lopez & Matthew Esquibel |
|
4. Vincent Garcia |
|
5. Sammy DiPace |
Notes:
Very close between top
three. Trout won by a slim margin, followed closely by Lopez & Esquibel
who tied for 2nd. Also scoring highly: Arturo Crespin, Daniel
Solano, Alex Rodarte,
the Piar brothers, Jennifer Han, Abie Han. |
|
|
MOST IMPROVED AMATEUR FIGHTER |
|
1. Austin Trout
Trout wins by a landslide. |
|
2. Dan Dan “the Hitman”
Solano |
|
3. Sammy DiPace |
|
4. (tie) Vincent “El
Picosito” Garcia & Arturo “the Tank” Crespin |
|
5. Jennifer Han |
|
|
MOST UNDERRATED FIGHTER |
|
1. Joseph Brady |
|
2. (tie) Frankie
Archuleta & Monica Michel |
|
3.
Vernon Payne |
|
4. Joaquin Zamora |
|
5. Brian Romero |
|
|
MOST
OVERRATED FIGHTER |
|
1. Ray Sanchez III |
|
2. Joseph Brady |
|
3. Danny Romero |
|
4. Shawn Gallegos |
|
5. (tie) Stephanie
Jaramillo & Juan Lazcano |
|
Notes: Sanchez
III was #1 by a landslide. Brady received half the votes at #2. #3 had
but a tenth of the votes of #1. |
|
|
WORST FIGHT OF THE YEAR |
|
1. Brady vs. Ramirez
Goose goes down in 2 against Brady. |
|
2. Sanchez III vs.
Mendez
Sanchez goes down in the 3rd and doesn't answer 5th round bell. |
|
3. Brady vs. Bowman
Not the cleanest fight . . . |
|
4. Romero vs.
Carbajal
Romero gets stopped when his eye closes. |
|
5. Romero vs.
Guillen
Romero destroys a blown-up strawweight in 1. |
|
6.
Valdez vs.
Martinez II
Valdez
destroys Jose Martinez, who falls down against everyone. |
|
7. Payne vs.
Caballero
Caballero gets DQ'd after playing drama king after Payne pushes him. |
|
8. Brady vs.
Sanchez
An uneventful title defense for Brady. |
|
9. Sanchez III vs.
Tidwell
Tidwell goes down in 1. |
|
10. Sanchez III vs.
Howard
Howard goes down in 1. |
|
|
ROBBERY OF THE YEAR |
|
1. Archuleta vs. Barrera
Archuleta
vs. Barrera had ten times more votes than any fights listed below. |
|
2. Gallegos vs.
Torrecillas |
|
3. Michel vs. Delgado
I |
|
4. Brady vs. Bowman
(Not that Bowman should’ve won—but that Brady should’ve won by KO
instead of decision.) |
|
5. Tapia vs.
Medina |
|
6. Michel vs. Delgado
II |
|
7. Almanzar vs.
Jackson |
|
8. Chavez vs. Tebo |
|
9. Romero vs. Gomez
(too early a stoppage) |
|
10. Gallegos vs.
Aranday |
|
|
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR |
|
1. Ray Sanchez III
losing to Jose Juan Mendez
As
expected, Ray Sanchez III’s loss to Jose Juan Mendez was 2002’s “Biggest
Disappointment” by a landslide. With 2/3 the votes, Romero’s loss to
Cruz Carbajal came in 2nd. |
|
2. Danny Romero losing
to Cruz Carbajal |
|
3. Shawn Gallegos
losing to Conan Torrecillas |
|
4. Johnny Tapia losing
to Marco Antonio Barrera |
|
5. Santa Ana Star
Casino postponing their fight cards |
|
6.
Vernon Payne
not fighting enough, or not fighting anyone of quality |
|
7. Joaquin Zamora
losing to Juan Salazar |
|
8. Coach Clark getting
into a fight with Coach DiPace at a
Las Cruces
amateur card. |
|
9. Frankie Archuleta
losing to Alejandro Barrera |
|
10. Jayla Ortiz
getting into trouble with the law. |
|
|
UPSET OF THE YEAR |
|
1. Mendez’s win over Ray Sanchez III
#1 had twice the votes of any other. |
|
2. Romero’s loss to
Cruz Carbajal |
|
3. Gallegos’ loss to
Conan Torrecillas |
|
4. Archuleta’s loss to
Barrera |
|
5. (tie) Francis Royal
upsetting Jo-El Scott & Tapia upsetting
Medina |
|
|
DOES NM HAVE ENOUGH BOXING? |
|
53%
say Yes; 47% Say No |
|
|
WHAT DOES NEW MEXICO NEED FOR BOXING? |
|
1. More Promoters |
|
2. Better quality
promoters |
|
3. Better
fights/better fight cards |
|
4. More fight cards |
|
5. More fan support |
|
6. Less Fresquez |
|
7. Santa Ana Star
Casino |
|
8. Better opponents
|
|
9. More or better
trainers |
|
10. Cooperation
between camps, commissions, trainers |
|
|
WHAT DOES THIS WEBSITE NEED? |
|
1. Nothing/Doing
Good/Keep Going |
|
2. More Interviews,
stories |
|
3. More positive
feedback on predictions and/or more positive reporting |
|
4. More Amateur
coverage |
|
5. (tie) More support
of Ray Sanchez III & Less support of Ray Sanchez III |
|
6. Less coverage of
Fresquez fighters |
|
7. More Brady coverage
/ more support for Brady |
|
|
MOST WANTED TO SEE FIGHTS |
|
1. Brady vs. Payne |
|
2. Brady vs. Elco
Garcia |
|
3. Archuleta vs.
Romero |
|
4. Sanchez III vs.
Mendez rematch |
|
5. Sanchez III vs.
Shawn Gallegos |
|
6. Sanchez III vs.
Conan Torrecillas |
|
7.
Gallegos vs. Conan Torrecillas rematch |
|
8.
Sanchez III vs. Lee Montoya |
|
9. Brady vs. Panda
Pacheco |
|
10.
Romero vs. Carbajal rematch |
|
11. Archuleta vs.
Barrera rematch |
|
12. Brady vs. Any real
154-pounder or Brady vs. Anyone outside of NM |
|
13. Michel vs. Delgado
III |
|
14.
Holm vs. Jaramillo |
|
15.
Aragon vs. Aragon rematch |
|
