BOXING
It just May be a memorable month for NM boxers
Leo, Holm to fight for titles; Sanchez, Lindenmuth go on the road
Albuquerque native Angelo Leo speaks at a news conference after his victory over Luis Alberto Lopez at Tingley Coliseum on Aug. 10, 2024.
It 鈥� is 鈥� alive.
Boxing is dead, it has been said, or at least it鈥檚 on life support.
One need look no further than New Mexico (and Maryland, Florida, Atlanta and Copenhagen) in the month of May to know such rumors are greatly exaggerated.
During the coming month, two Albuquerque natives, Angelo Leo and Holly Holm, have world title fights. Bosque Farms鈥� Katherine Lindenmuth is scheduled to fight for an interim world title.
At the end of the month, there鈥檚 action right here in the metro area.
Here鈥檚 a listing (not necessarily comprehensive) of boxing events in the month of May:
Friday, May 1
Who: Jose Luis 鈥淕uero鈥� Sanchez (14-6-2), Albuquerque, vs. David Whitmire (11-0, eight KOs), Washington D.C., welterweights/super welterweights (150-pounds), 8 rounds.
Where: Maryland Live Casino, Hanover, Maryland.
Streaming: , free of charge. Streaming is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. MT.
The Skinny: Sanchez clearly is the 鈥淏鈥� fighter, which is how he and his brother, featherweight Jason Sanchez, like it. Three times in the past three years 鈥� twice for Guero, once for Jason 鈥� the Sanchez brothers have upset previously unbeaten opponents. Most recently, Guero fought to an eight-round draw with unbeaten Justin Lacey-Pierce in the latter鈥檚 hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Whitmire鈥檚 nickname is 鈥淭he Bodysnatcher,鈥� a moniker made famous by former world champion Mike McCallum 鈥� suggesting Whitmire likes going to the body.
He said it: 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great opponent. This opponent is really gonna bring out more of my skills. I feel like I鈥檓 gonna have to go deep into my bag if I want to beat him. It鈥檚 not gonna be easy.鈥� 鈥� Whitmire, to ProBoxTV.
Also 鈥�
Who: Samantha Ginithan (14-16), Houston by way of Las Cruces, vs. Alissa Boltz (4-12), Duluth, Minnesota, then Kaylee Ann Justus Knight (2-1), Sausalito, California. One round each in Team Combat League competition.
Where: War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Streaming: , 5 p.m.
The Skinny: Ginithan was a TCL Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024, finishing the year with a 9-2 record 鈥� then went 3-14 in 2025. She鈥檚 on the way back in 2026 with a 2-0 record thus far while fighting for the Miami Assassins .
May 9
Who: Angelo Leo (26-1, 12 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada, by way of Albuquerque, vs. Ra鈥檈ese Aleem (23-1, 12 KOs), Las Vegas by way of Muskegon, Michigan, 12 rounds for Leo鈥檚 IBF featherweight (126-pound) title.
Where: Gateway Center Arena, College Park, Georgia
Tickets: $39-$166, Ticketmaster.com
Streaming: DAZN (subscription required; card scheduled to start at 3 p.m. MT)
The Skinny: These guys know each other well, having sparred several times in Las Vegas. Each fighter is undefeated (Leo 3-0, Aleem 4-0) against three common opponents. But Leo rates a slight edge, having stopped Mike Plania via third-round KO in January 2024. Plania went the distance vs. Aleem in losing by unanimous decision in September 2022.
As of Wednesday, Leo was a solid (minus-250) favorite to retain his title.
He said it: 鈥淲e both have skills and we both have heart. But he wants to defend the title, but his wants are gonna get (defeated) by my needs.
鈥淚 need to win this. All the pain, the blood, the sweat and tears, but really, I want to emphasize the pain that I (expletive) went through for all those years just to get this opportunity. So the pain is what鈥檚 going to ultimately win me this fight.鈥� 鈥� Aleem, on Instagram
May 16
Who: Katherine Lindenmuth (8-5, three KOs), Bosque Farms, vs. Linn Sandstrom (12-4-3, two KOs), Sidney, Australia, 10 rounds for the vacant interim WBA flyweight (112-pound) title.
Where: Brondby Hallen, Brondby (suburban Copenhagen), Denmark
Streaming: DAZN (start time TBA)
The Skinny: This fight, originally to be contested for Sandstrom鈥檚 WBA Gold flyweight title, was elevated to an interim WBA world title bout.
However, that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean the winner will get a shot at the actual world title, held by Gabriela Fundora. Basically, 鈥渋nterim鈥� means whatever any particular boxing sanctioning body wants it to mean.
She said it: 鈥淚鈥檓 fighting a really tough girl 鈥� obviously, this is a cracker of a fight. I鈥檓 hoping to do my best performance yet.鈥� 鈥� Sandstrom, to Combat Down Under
May 30
Who: Holly Holm (34-3-3, nine KOs), Albuquerque, vs. Stephanie Han (12-0, three KOs), El Paso, 10 rounds for Han鈥檚 WBA lightweight (135-pound) title.
Where: El Paso County Coliseum
TV: ESPN
Tickets: $45-$167, (card scheduled to start at 3 p.m.)
The Skinny: This is a rematch of a title fight staged on Jan. 3 in Puerto Rico, won by Han via unanimous technical decision after an unintentional clash of heads opened a cut on Han鈥檚 forehead, near the hairline, and prompted a premature end to a scheduled 10-round bout.
Holm was a solid betting favorite the first time around; not this time. As of Wednesday, Han was listed as a near-overwhelming -370 favorite. Holm was plus-260.
He said it: 鈥淚 just feel (Han) has Holly鈥檚 number. 鈥� I think she has style that gives Holly a hard time. I just feel she has what it takes to beat Holly.鈥� 鈥� Las Cruces鈥� Louie Burke, Han鈥檚 trainer
Also 鈥�
Who: Josh Torres (29-7-2, 16 KOs), Albuquerque, vs. Alejandro Medina de la Rosa (4-8, four KOs), Aguascalientes, Mexico, 8 rounds, welterweights (147 pounds).
Where: Leo鈥檚 night club, 1119 Candelaria NW
Tickets: $30-$130, tapiapromotions.com
The skinny: Longtime Albuquerque promoter Teresa Tapia has established a 鈥淭apia Fite Lounge鈥� at Leo鈥檚, a venerable North Valley establisment. Torres, who has headlined several Tapia cards, returns. The card, as listed on , features the return of Brandi Montoya (6-2), an Anthony Rosales protege who鈥檚 fought just once in the past 14 years, as well as Tapia鈥檚 sons with her late husband, five-time world champion Johnny Tapia 鈥� Nicco and Johnny Jr., both 1-0 as pros.
