COMBAT SPORTS
Tender, loving care? Not in the ring
Martinez, a nurse, and Lovato, a nursing candidate, to meet in 4-round flyweight bout
Leanna Martinez is a registered nurse. Amanda Lovato is planning to enter the nursing field. Perhaps, when they鈥檙e done punching each other Saturday night, Martinez can teach Lovato a few things about the noble calling they share.
But first, when they meet in the boxing ring at the Embassy Suites, who鈥檒l be educating whom?
Martinez (5-5, three knockouts) and Lovato, (1-4-1, no KOs) are scheduled for a four-round flyweight bout at the top of Saturday鈥檚 card, the first under the Donald Sanchez Promotions banner.
As advertised, Sanchez and adviser Pat Holmes have assembled a card focused on developing and providing exposure for some of New Mexico鈥檚 young, upcoming boxers.
None of the 12 fighters on the six-bout card has more victories than Martinez鈥檚 five. Six have fought professionally three times or fewer; two will be making their professional debuts.
Lovato, from Rio Rancho, and Martinez, from Cordova in Rio Arriba County, are outliers of a sort. Martinez, 34, has been boxing professionally since 2017. Lovato, 35, made her pro debut in 2014 鈥� her ring career since then frequently interrupted by MMA fights and by injuries.
The two know little of each other as boxers, but Lovato, recently accepted into the fall-semester nursing program at CNN, was aware that Martinez is a nurse.
鈥業鈥檝e heard a lot about her,鈥� Lovato said, 鈥渁nd I have a lot of respect for her considering she鈥檚 a nurse and that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 going to school for.鈥�
Martinez enters Saturday鈥檚 bout off a victory, having snapped a five-bout losing streak with a second-round TKO of Tarrethia Dixon at Ohkay Hotel Casino on Jan. 31.
Lovato had been out of the ring (and the cage) for almost two years while rehabbing a torn ACL and torn meniscus. She returned in June, losing by four-round split decision to Margarita Mendoza in Hammond, Indiana.
鈥淚 felt like I got completely robbed,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey announced my name (as the winner), raised my hand and then they were like, 鈥極h, wait, wait, wait. Never mind, we got it wrong.鈥欌�欌��
Martinez and Lovato both will seek to get it right Saturday night. Each fighter weighed in on Friday at 111 pounds.
KALEB WITH A K: Las Vegas, New Mexico native Kaleb Medina, among the state鈥檚 better amateur boxers of recent years, is scheduled to make his pro debut on Saturday in a four-round lightweight bout against Roswell鈥檚 John Herrera (5-24-3, two KOs).
Hidden behind the raw numbers of Herrera鈥檚 record is the quality of his opposition. His past six losses have come against opponents with a combined record of 60-9. Herrera made it to the final bell in four of those six bouts.
Medina, having faced national champions as an amateur, said he鈥檚 ready for whatever Herrera brings.
鈥淚 know I鈥檝e been in the ring with some of the best,鈥� Medina said. 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna go handle business.
鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna make it a fun night.鈥�
Medina, who until recently trained with the team of Yoruba Moreu, is now with Manuel Anaya. Of his leaving the Moreu team, he said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a story for another time. It鈥檚 always love.鈥�
Herrera weighed in at 135.6 pounds, Medina at 136.6.
ANTHONY鈥橲 GOOD: Anthony Borg, Lovato鈥檚 son with ex-husband Ray Borg, is 8 years old and entering third grade. Anthony was born with hydrocephalus, a condition that allows spinal fluid to collect in the brain, and underwent countless surgeries in the first months of his life.
鈥淗e鈥檚 doing really, really good,鈥� Lovato said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going on eight years surgery-free in November and he鈥檚 a healthy, growing boy, almost as big as his mom.鈥�
STREAMING: Because Saturday鈥檚 card is a sellout, promoter Sanchez announced plans to stream the event on YouTube.
