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Ahead of Pit fight, Evans and Jackson say all's well, but bad intentions remain
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Rashad Evans left Albuquerque and Jackson-Wink MMA under less than happy circumstances in 2011, feeling betrayed because J-W teammate Jon “Bones” Jones said he’d be willing to fight him — violating the gym’s unofficial “teammates don’t fight teammates” rule.
Some 14 years later — Evans said on Thursday it’s been 16 years, but who’s counting — “Suga” was back in Albuquerque and planning to work out that afternoon at Jackson-Wink.
“Very nostalgic,” Evans said of his return to the city for a news conference at the Pit, the site of an April 12 pro boxing card featuring Evans and former MMA foe Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event. “It’s a good feeling. A lot, a lot of good memories here.”
And, pursuant to this time-heals-all-wounds theme, Evans said he and Jackson — bitter rivals when they fought on a UFC card in 2010, Evans winning by unanimous decision — are friendly rivals today.
“We’ve matured a lot, and we’ve worked together,” Evans said. “We did a movie (“Boss Level,” released in 2020) together.”
Jackson said the two men bonded on the movie set. “We buried the hatchet,” he said. “… We’ve been really cool, and I finally decided Rashad ain’t so bad.”
The two men collaborate on podcasts as well. Still, both made it clear at Thursday’s news conference that the competitive juices still flow.
Jackson made it equally clear he’s bent on revenge.
“I still owe (Evans) an ass-whoopin’,’” he said. “… It’s no secret I’m a sore loser. Out of all my fights, that (the Evans fight) is the one I really wanted to win.”
Evans, for his part, said he plans to be 2-0 against Jackson after the rematch.
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“I expect to put him to sleep on April 12,” he said, “so there’ll be no more excuses.”
The April 12 card is being staged by Signature Punch Promotions of Tampa, Florida, in cooperation with Albuquerque’s Tapia Promotions. The event is part of the Influencer/Crossover Series, which specializes in fights like that between Evans, 45, and Jackson, 46, former MMA fighters who’ve never competed as boxers.
Get used to it, said Signature Punch President Gary Lewis. This is what’s happening in professional boxing.
“I’m gonna go ahead and admit, I was not a champion or a fan of the whole Influencer/Crossover Series when it first started,” Lewis said. “I was a traditional boxing guy … But it’s here to stay, guys. It’s here to stay, and we’re gonna make sure we help cement it in the sport of boxing.”
THE TAPIA LEGACY: The April 12 card is believed to be the first boxing event staged at the Pit since Jan. 8, 2000, when Albuquerque legend Johnny Tapia defeated Colombia’s Jorge Eliecer Julio in the night’s main event.
More than 25 years later, the late champion’s sons, Johnny Jr. and Nico, are scheduled to fight on the Evans-Jackson undercard.
“It’s a blessing,” Nico Tapia said, “to carry on the legacy of Johnny Tapia. I’m really excited to fight at the Pit, especially for my first professional fight.”
Tapia Jr. called the prospect of fighting in Pit, the arena in which his father scored four of his 59 victories, “bittersweet because he’s not here. I think the emotions are gonna be high, but we’re gonna walk down that (ramp), we’re gonna get to the stage that we used to get on and we’re gonna give it our all.”
Nico, 19, has more amateur boxing experience than does his brother, 24. Teresa Tapia, their mother and co-promoter of the card, said Nico plans to pursue a traditional boxing career while Johnny Jr. is more likely to campaign on “influencer” events made so fashionable by Jake Paul and others.
PIT BULL, TOO: Albuquerque welterweight Josh Torres (27-7-2, 15 KOs) is scheduled to face Miami’s Harold Eduardo Calderon (28-2, 19 KOs) on the April 12 card in an eight-round bout.
Torres last fought on June 8 on a Tapia-promoted card at Isleta Resort & Casino, defeating Daniel Calzada by unanimous decision. Torres, riding a five-fight win streak, said he’s fully recovered from an elbow injury.
