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Boxing: Griego-Ortega added to April 12 card at the Pit
Albuquerque’s Matt Griego-Ortega, right, battles Californian Gilberto Mendoza
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Albuquerque’s Matt Griego-Ortega has been added to an April 12 professional boxing card scheduled for The Pit.
Griego-Ortega (15-0, 10 knockouts) joins a card that already included New Mexico boxers Josh Torres, Brian Mendoza and the sons of the late five-time world champion Johnny Tapia, Nicco and Johnny Jr.
Albuquerque MMA icon Diego Sanchez is scheduled to make his pro boxing debut on the April 12 card, headlined by a bout between MMA fighters Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Tickets are not yet available.
Griego-Ortega would be fighting for the first time since Aug. 10, when he fractured his right hand during his victory by unanimous decision against Gilberto Mendoza (no relation to Brian) on the Angelo Leo-Luis Alberto Lopez card at Tingley Coliseum.
On Facebook, Griego-Ortega posted that he’ll be moving up in weight for the April 12 bout. He has fought his three most recent bouts at flyweight (112 pounds) but has campaigned at 115, and occasionally at 118, in the past.
Griego-Ortega’s scheduled opponent, pending signing of a contract, is Ephraim Bui (10-1, eight KOs) of Sugar Land, Texas.
Florida-based Signature Punch Promotions, which is staging the April 12 card, also has announced opponents for Torres, Sanchez and the Tapia brothers.
The lineup:
Torres (27-7,2, 15 KOs) vs. Harold Eduardo Calderon (28-2, 19 KOs).
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Sanchez (pro boxing debut, 30-14 MMA) vs. Canada’s John Makdessi (pro boxing debut, 18-9 MMA).
Nicco Tapia (pro debut) vs. strength and fitness guru Tatakai Kawakami (pro debut).
Johnny Tapia Jr. (pro debut) vs. John Jimenez (no data available).
No opponent has been announced for Brian Mendoza (22-4, 16 KOs), a Cleveland High School graduate.
The April 12 card would be the first to take place at the Pit since Johnny Tapia defeated Colombia’s Jorge Eliecer Julio on Jan. 8, 2000.
