Josh Torres, left, goes toe to toe with previously undefeated Reggie Harris Jr. on June 17 during the co-main event of a boxing card held at Paradise Hills Golf Course.(Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)
In any given month, Josh Torres — husband, father, homeowner, barber, professional boxer, boxing trainer — is a busy guy.
February 2023 might be his busiest yet.
On Saturday, Torres (24-7-2, 14 knockouts) is scheduled to face Louisiana veteran Todd Manuel (21-21-1, seven KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout at Revel Entertainment Center.
That same evening, his protege, Albuquerque lightweight Maximus Moya (2-0, two KOs), is scheduled to face Fruitland’s Jazzma Hogue (4-10-1, no KOs).
Just 20 days later, Torres is down for a rematch against Michigan’s Reggie Harris Jr. (7-2, three KOs) at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Torres defeated Harris by unanimous decision in Paradise Hills on June 17.
And in between, on Feb. 17, Torres will work Diego Sanchez’s corner as the Albuquerque MMA legend’s lead trainer when Sanchez faces Las Cruces world champion boxer Austin Trout on a BKFC (bare-knuckle) card at Tingley Coliseum. It’s the bare-knuckle debut for both men.
All in a month’s work, right? Torres said this week in a phone interview that his heavy February workload fazes him not at all.
As for the 20 days between his scheduled bouts — his quickest turnaround since fighting four-rounders 13 days apart in 2008 — Torres believes his conditioning and skills will get him past Manuel with no damage done.
“I feel like six rounds should be a breeze for me,” he said, “and we’ve trained hard enough so where if everything goes our way we should get (Manuel) out of there sooner than six rounds.”
“So if we do that, we’ll be more than ready to jump right back into the gym Monday and get back to work for the 24th.”
But wait — there’s the 17th, when Sanchez faces Trout in a fascinating MMA fighter-vs.-boxer matchup on the bare-knuckle card.
Torres began working with Sanchez after fitness trainer Joseph Mullings, a mutual friend, got the two in touch. Torres has sparred many rounds with Trout over the years and knows well the former world boxing champion’s style.
Nor is this Torres’ first rodeo as a bare-knuckle trainer. He was in Josh Moreno’s corner when Moreno defeated Zion Tomlinson Jr. by second-round TKO during BKFC’s New Mexico debut at the Rio Rancho Events Center on Aug. 27.
“I’ve been into bare-knuckle for a while now,” Torres said.
Does that mean he plans, as Trout is doing, to go gloveless himself?
“Not anytime soon, man,” he said. “I think it’s pretty brutal, and I think it’s something you need to do towards the end of your career.”
At age 33, Torres has yet to envision the end of his boxing career.
Training young fighters like Moya, he said, helps keep him motivated.
“It’s all a great experience, going full circle, and it’s making me a better fighter,” he said.
“As I’m training, getting ready for these fights, I can almost hear myself training my guys as well. … I have to practice what I preach, so it’s helping me not just outside the ring but as a fighter.”
CATCHING UP: Three Albuquerque boxers of note were winners last Saturday on an amateur card, Code of Champions 4, at FIT-NHB.
Leroy Clark, a past USA Boxing and Golden Gloves state heavyweight champion, defeated Paulo Solis by unanimous decision.
Featherweight Yoruba Moreu Jr., younger brother of longtime amateur standout Sharahya Moreu, outpointed Oscar Pogline.
And Nicco Tapia, son of the late legendary Albuquerque boxer Johnny Tapia, defeated Raul Martinez by TKO.
… On Jan. 20, Rio Rancho MMA fighter Amanda Lovato defeated Madaline Meacham by first-round submission (rear naked choke) on a Fierce FC card in West Valley City, Utah. Lovato, who trains at FIT-NHB, is 3-7. Meacham, of Ogden, Utah, is 0-2.
