Roswell’s Herreras Face ABQ Fighters

The Herrera brothers, John and Michael, have come from Roswell to steal the show and spoil the party.

Albuquerqueans Yoel Gonzalez and Cristian Cabral have plans of their own, and those plans don’t include losing to the Herreras.

Gonzalez (1-0) and John Herrera (1-1-1) are matched in the main event of tonight’s seven-bout professional boxing card at the YDI Wool Warehouse. All seven bouts are scheduled for four rounds.

	Today Pro Boxing, YDI Wool Warehouse, 518 1st St. NW: Yoel Gonzalez vs. John Herrera, six other bouts. Doors open: 6 p.m. First Bell: 7 Tickets: $30-$100. Call 505-362-7428

Cabral (1-0) and Michael Herrera (pro debut) will meet in a prelim bout.

The main event fighters have met in the ring before; Gonzalez defeated Herrera by decision in a state Golden Gloves tournament.

After Thursday’s weigh-in, John Herrera said he knows why he lost to Gonzalez in the amateurs.

“I only threw, like, 20 punches in the whole fight, so of course I’m gonna lose,” he said. “But it’s gonna be a whole different story this time, in the pros.

“I’m 100 percent confident. We’ll get in there and see what happens, but I didn’t come to lose.”

Gonzalez said he’s expecting more punches from Herrera this time but expects a similar result.

“I’m prepared for whatever he’s got,” he said. “I’m prepared to impress the crowd and impress the judges.”

John Herrera will be giving up a significant amount of weight. He weighed in Thursday at 128.6 pounds, Gonzalez at 135.2.

In contrast, Cabral and Michael Herrera know absolutely nothing about each other.

“I’ve never heard of him, and he’s probably never heard of me,” said Michael Herrera, who’s making his pro debut. “I didn’t fight much as an amateur, but one thing’s for sure: I give everything I’ve got in everything I do. You’ll see (tonight).”

Cabral has an extensive amateur background and is accustomed to solving opponents on the fly.

“It’s just like my last fight (a victory over Shaun Henson in his pro debut Dec. 2),” Cabral said. “I didn’t know anything about him, and I just gave it my best.

“(This fight) is very important. I want to get my record up and keep going.”

Cabral weighed in at 151.4 pounds, Michael Herrera at 147.8.

In another prelim bout, Albuquerque’s Leonardo Sanchez (2-0) will face Jamie Gutierrez (3-5) of Phoenix by way of Los Mochis, Mexico.

Manager Jacob Maes has big plans for Sanchez – a four-year, 12-fight contract with a major promoter whom Maes declined to identify.

Those plans could be short-circuited by a loss tonight against Gutierrez, a left-hander with far more professional experience, his mediocre record notwithstanding.

Sanchez said neither Gutierrez’s pro experience nor his southpaw stance concern him.

“It’s gonna be a good fight,”Sanchez said. “He’s gonna give his all, I’m gonna give my all, and may the best man win.”

Sanchez weighed in at 117.6 pounds, Gutierrez at 116.8.

In tonight’s semi-main event, Albuquerque’s Amber Brown (pro debut) will face Los Lunas’ Brandi Montoya (1-2) in a rematch of a 2010 amateur bout won by Brown. Montoya weighed in at 114.8, Brown at 113.8.

“I’m really excited for this fight,” Montoya said. “… This is a great opportunity to redeem myself.”

In other bouts:

♦ Albuquerque’s Eric Gonzales (pro debut) will face Belen’s Eric Henson (0-2). Henson, trained by Tony Rosales, weighed in at 123 pounds. Gonzales, trained by Flory Olguin, weighed 123.

♦ Julio Gomez and Isaac Gurule, both of Albuquerque, will meet in the pro debut for both. Gomez weighed 111.6 pounds, Gurule 112.2.

♦ Alan Sanchez (2-1) will face fellow Albuquerquean Charles Reyes (pro debut). Sanchez weighed in at 132.2 pounds, Reyes at 140 – six pounds over the contracted weight.

Sanchez agreed to the fight after Reyes was required to lose four pounds.
Fighting for NM PrideRoswell’s Herreras Face ABQ Fighters

BOXING
— This article appeared on page D3 of the Albuquerque Journal