BOXING
Boxing promoter Pat Holmes has found a home at Ohkay
Jorge Villarruel and Antonio 'Tone' Martinez return to the ring
We鈥檝e all been there. You鈥檝e just finished a huge, three-course meal and you鈥檙e wondering if you鈥檒l ever want to eat again. But the next morning, surprise! You go in search of breakfast.
That, Santa Fe鈥檚 Pat Holmes said in a phone interview, essentially is how he feels about the all-consuming job of boxing promotion.
Saturday, Holmes will stage his third card in a span of 5 1/2 months at Ohkay Hotel Casino outside Espa帽ola 鈥 this after a nearly six-year absence from the business.
He鈥檇 attributed that hiatus, after having promoted or co-promoted at least 16 pro cards from 2012-2020, partly to COVID-19 and in part to burnout 鈥 weary of dealing with the fighters, the managers, the trainers, the state, the media, the venues.
How does he feel now?
鈥(Fight week) might not be the best time to ask me, because oh, man,鈥 he said. Yet, he already has a card tentatively scheduled for Oct. 24 and said he would consider promoting sometime this summer.
His enthusiasm, he said, largely stems from the relationship he and the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo have established. Holmes鈥 first two cards at Ohkay were essentially sellouts. Only a few tickets, he said on Tuesday, remain for Saturday鈥檚 card.
鈥淲e have a comfortable place there,鈥 he said. (Pueblo leaders) are looking long term. They鈥檙e very happy with what we鈥檙e doing.鈥
TONE鈥橲 BACK: Espa帽ola鈥檚 Antonio 鈥淭one鈥 Martinez was a frequent flyer on Holmes鈥 cards of the past, 14 of them at Buffalo Thunder Casino Resort in Pojoaque between 2012 and 2019.
Then came COVID-19, shutting down boxing in New Mexico for all of 2020 and most of 2021. Martinez (11-5-4 six KOs), who turned 34 in March 2021, stepped away to focus on work and family.
Now, at 39, he鈥檚 headlining Holmes鈥 card at Ohkay.
Martinez, Holmes said, not long ago weighed 191 pounds. At last weigh-in, the scale read, 鈥渓ike, 148. He came in in great shape, shredded up.鈥
As is understandable considering Martinez鈥檚 long absence from the ring, Holmes is not putting him in with a monster for Saturday鈥檚 six-round bout. Raymond Chacon, Martinez鈥檚 listed opponent, has a record of 11 wins, 74 losses, 1 draw.
But Chacon鈥檚 a survivor, having been stopped only 12 times among those 74 defeats. Six of the Torrance, California boxer鈥檚 last seven bouts 鈥 one of them a victory by split decision 鈥 went the distance.
There鈥檚 this, as well: one of Chac贸n鈥檚 11 victories came in New Mexico. In 2016, Chacon defeated Espa帽ola鈥檚 Tony Valdez by split decision at Camel Rock Casino.
THE CARD: Holmes is planning seven bouts, including a welterweight six-rounder of great interest between Bloomfield鈥檚 Rolyn Nez (6-0, four KOs) and Ephraim Martinez (6-2, two KOs) of Lubbock, Texas.
In September 2024 in Farmington, Martinez handed Kirtland鈥檚 Elija Martinez, Nez鈥檚 Four Corners friend and training partner, his only pro defeat. (None of the Martinezes, Ephraim, Elija or Antonio, are related).
Santa Fe鈥檚 Jerome Rivera (1-0, one KO), a former UFC MMA fighter, is matched against Javier Saenz (pro debut), a native of Mexico who鈥檚 listed as from Albuquerque, in a four-round lightweight bout.
Albuquerque super bantamweight Jorge Villlarruel (2-0, one KOs), is scheduled to face Denver鈥檚 Joe Moralez (2-1, two KOs) in a scheduled four-rounder.
Santa Fe鈥檚 Eduardo Pi帽on (2-0,1 KO) is matched against Albuquerque鈥檚 Quentin DeLeon (1-1, one KO) in a four round bantamweight bout.
Of the 14 fighters scheduled for Holmes鈥 card on Saturday, 11 are listed as from New Mexico. Four are from Santa Fe or Espa帽ola 鈥 almost guaranteeing a good crowd.
Holmes said Tone Martinez, a big draw for Holmes in the past, 鈥渓ives about five minutes (from Ohkay.)鈥
NEXT FOR GUERO: Albuquerque鈥檚 Jose Luis 鈥淕uero鈥 Sanchez (14-6-1, four KOs) is scheduled to face unbeaten David Whitmore 11-0, eight KOs) in an eight-round welterweight bout on a May 1 card in Hanover, Maryland.
Fighting an unbeaten opponent is nothing new for Sanchez, who鈥檚 done so seven times in the past six years 鈥 with some success.
In 2023, Sanchez hung the first defeat on the records of Rashad Shahid (then 10-0) and Eric Tudor (then 9-0).
In Sanchez鈥檚 most recent fight, he fought to an eight-round draw against Justin Lacey Pierce, now 13-0-1.
The story was first reported by .