COMBAT SPORTS
Lindenmuth outworks Rodriguez, claims WIBA flyweight title
Bosque Farms battler hints Saturday's fight in El Paso might have been her last
She just keeps punching.
And punching.
And punching.
Bosque Farms boxer Katherine Lindenmuth, 12 years older and a head shorter than her opponent and fighting in that opponent’s hometown, blasted out a victory by 10-round split decision over Nayeli Rodriguez Saturday night in El Paso.
With the win at the El Paso County Coliseum, earned by virtue of a relentless attack fueled by superb conditioning, Lindenmuth claimed the WIBA flyweight title.
“Oh, my gosh, this means so much,” an emotional Lindenmuth (9-5-1, three knockouts) said in the ring after enduring the suspense of hearing the judges’ scorecards being announced. “It’s amazing.”
Then, she dropped a hint that Saturday’s bout might be her last.
In 2024, Lindenmuth, 36, earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from Grand Canyon University and since then has been exploring the possibility of a career in law enforcement. She’s also the widowed mother of three boys.
“I can’t imagine sharing this ring for the last time with somebody I love so much,” she said (referring to Rodriguez, with whom she has sparred in the past and whom she considers a friend).
If Saturday’s bout indeed was Lindenmuth’s last, it will serve as a fitting farewell.
From the opening bell, Lindenmuth’s constant pressure kept Rodriguez (7-2-1, no knockouts) from establishing any kind of rhythm. While relentlessly tattooing the body, the New Mexico boxer didn’t neglect the head — landing punches with either hand.
Rodriguez responded with some sharp jabs and the occasional straight rights but had neither the speed of hand nor foot, nor the punching power, to keep Lindenmuth off of her.
Nonetheless, judge Daniel Sandoval scored the bout 96-94 for Rodriguez. Judges Larry Louick and Rocky Burke scored it for Lindenmuth, 96-94 and 97-93, respectively.
Burke and Louick are from Las Cruces. Sandoval is from California, but has worked several cards in El Paso in the past.
The Journal’s highly unofficial card, scored off the streaming of Saturday’s card on Box Azteca America, read 97-93 for Lindenmuth.
“I think it was a great performance,” Lindenmuth said. “Nayeli pushed me so hard. This was one of my hardest fights. I feel like it could have gone (either way).”
Lindenmuth now can add the WIBA flyweight belt to the WBA Gold super flyweight and WBA minimumweight belts she’s won during her four years, three months as a professional boxer.
THE UNDERCARD: Kirtland’s Elija Martinez lost by split decision to El Paso’s Victor Aranda in a six-round super welterweight bout.
Martinez, a skilled southpaw, scored consistently with either hand but squandered his advantage at distance by allowing Aranda to pin him against the ropes and dominate the action at close range.
The judges’ scores were 60-54 and 58-56 for Aranda and 58-56 for Martinez.
The Journal scored it even at 57-57.
Martinez drops to 7-2 with two KOs. Aranda is 8-0 with six KOs.
In a scheduled four-round bantamweight bout, Las Cruces’ D’Angelo Sanchez needed just 2:08 of the first round to stop Albuquerque’s Austin Lewis.
The bout was a rematch of a March 14 bout contested at the same venue, which Sanchez won by unanimous decision.
The second time around, Lewis had no answer for Sanchez’s hand speed and accuracy.
Sanchez dropped Lewis with a flurry in the bout’s opening minute. Lewis beat the count, but was in the process of sagging to the canvas again when the one-sided bout was stopped — officially ruled a TKO.
Lewis is 1-3 (no KOs), Sanchez 6-1 (two KOs).