Boxing: Sanchez looks to reverse his career trend
Jason Sanchez, left, launches a right hand at Abel Mendoza during an exhibition match at Isleta Resort & Casino on June 8, 2024.
Published
Modified
Jason Sanchez鈥檚 three most recent opponents entered their fights against the Albuquerque boxer with a combined record of 54-3. Sanchez lost all three of those bouts.
Going a bit deeper, 鈥淓l Alacrancito鈥� has lost five of his last six, the defeats coming against opponents with a 93-7 record.
Or still deeper: six of his last eight, losing to boxers with a combined record of 118-7.
Next up: more daunting numbers. Julian Gonzalez brings a record of 16-0-1 (12 knockouts) into his scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout against Sanchez (16-6, nine KOs) on Friday in Philadelphia.
So, is there a pattern here? Sure. But when Sanchez steps into a boxing ring, he鈥檚 still the man who won his first 14 bouts; who in 2018 upset previously unbeaten Top Rank prospect Michel Rivera; whose first pro loss came over 12 tough rounds in a WBO featherweight title fight against champion Oscar Valdez; a tough competitor who鈥檚 been stopped short of the prescribed distance only once.
Can Sanchez, then, turn back the clock against Gonzalez, a 23-year-old nicknamed 鈥淕ifted鈥� from nearby Reading, Pennsylvania, and reverse his career arc at age 30?
Stay tuned 鈥� figuratively, anyway. No TV or streaming information has been announced by Kings Promotions (Marshall Kauffman).
Kauffman also is the promoter of a July 12 card in El Paso, featuring Albuquerque鈥檚 Abraham Perez (11-0, six KOs) against Mexico鈥檚 Angel Geovanny Meza Morales (9-3-3, four KOs) in the main event.
MOREU鈥橲 DEBUT: Albuquerque super bantamweight Yoruba Moreu Jr. has an opponent for his pro debut, and he鈥檚 a beauty.
Weusi Johnson, a 29-year-old from Wilmington, Delaware, brings a 3-37-1 record into a scheduled six-rounder against Moreu on Aug. 2 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Boxing Hall of Famer Christy Martin is the promoter. No venue has been announced.
Johnson last won a fight in 2019. He鈥檚 lost his last 26 bouts. Of his 37 losses, 16 have come via knockout.
Moreu, 20, a highly successful amateur trained by his father, Yoruba Moreu Sr., recently agreed to contractual terms with Placitas manager Jacob Maes.
AMATEURS: In Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Cruces鈥� Amiah Mendoza earned a silver medal at last week鈥檚 USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival.
Mendoza, competing in the Junior Division 110-pound class, lost by unanimous decision to Los Angeles鈥� Jaxon Bowes in the championship bout. She got to the final by defeating Melody Reyes of Alvin, Texas and Khloe Dowdy of Graniteville, South Carolina.
Las Cruces鈥� Carlos Rodriguez (132, bantams) also took home silver. Rodriguez drew a bye into the finals, then lost by split (4-1) decision to Dontae Khamlue of Tacoma, Washington in the championship bout.
Bloomfield鈥檚 Laila Nez (119, Juniors), Las Cruces鈥� Deandra Santos (132, Juniors), Los Lunas鈥� Anabella Zavala (119, Intermediates), Albuquerque鈥檚 Malaya Castillo (106, Intermediates) and Mesquite鈥檚 Xennaya Campos (145, Intermediates) brought home bronze medals.
