Combat sports: Clark seeks another National Open title

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, New Mexico’s Leroy Clark will fight for his second consecutive USA Boxing National Open Elite Division amateur title on Saturday after defeating Florida’s Jabes Morales by unanimous decision in a super-heavyweight semifinal bout on Friday.

Clark won the 2024 National Open heavyweight title at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Jimmie Perez, Clark’s teammate at Albuquerque’s Power Plant boxing, will bring home a bronze medal from Tulsa after losing his 132-pound Elite Division semifinal bout by unanimous decision against Atlanta’s Chad Pitts.

As always, Clark used speed of hand and foot and the reach afforded by his 6-foot-6 frame in defeating Morales. All five judges scored the three-round bout 30-27 for Clark, who listed Rio Rancho as his hometown.

Clark is scheduled to face New England’s Gilbert Kabamba for the title on Saturday. Kabamba decisioned Ty Jackson in his semifinal bout on Friday.

Perez, listed as from Bosque Farms — but having grown up in Isleta Pueblo — did not win a round on any judge’s card in losing to Pitts, though the bout was far more competitive than the scores suggested.

Perez, who earned a bronze medal at the 2024 National Open, got to Friday’s semifinal with victories in the first three rounds of the 132-pound bracket.

In the 154-pound Youth Division, Las Cruces’ Chris LaBounty defeated Ricardo Gaspariano of Troy, Missouri by unanimous decision in advancing to Saturday’s championship bout. He’s scheduled to face Lavant Brownlee of Louisville, Kentucky.

Las Cruces’ Austin Sanchez has already won the championship in the Bantam 101-pound division. In a weight class populated by just three boxers, Sanchez drew a bye into the final, then defeated Georgia’s Hassan Myers.

SUSPENSIONS: Bare-knuckle fighters William Albrecht and Kyle McElroy, who fought each other on a BKFC card at Tingley Coliseum on June 6, both have been suspended by the New Mexico Athletic Commission after testing positive for banned substances after that bout.

The athletic commission handed down a six-month suspension for each man, as well as a $500 fine, according to documents obtained by the Journal through an Inspection of Public Records request.

The sanctions were approved unanimously by the NMAC at its Sept. 9 meeting.

According to the documents, McElroy, of Albuquerque, tested positive for a masking agent and an elevated T/E (testosterone-to-epitestosterone) ratio. McElroy responded in writing that he had not knowingly ingested a banned substance, attributing the positive test to supplements he’d taken and to dehydration.

Albrecht, listed as from Abilene, Texas, tested positive for masking agents and anabolic steroid metabolites. The documents show no response from Albrecht.

The athletic commission also levied a year’s suspension to bare-knuckle fighter Dominick Carey of Troy, New York for violating his contract with BKFC by pulling out of his scheduled fight against Zay Garcia on the June 6 card.

APFC: What‘s looking like a quiet autumn for New Mexico combat sports, other than pro wrestling, got some welcome news this week.

Former UFC fighter Anthony Pettis announced on social media that his APFC MMA promotion is returning to Isleta Resort & Casino on Nov. 23, pending athletic commission approval.

Pettis staged a successful show at Isleta on July 27.

The November main event, Pettis said, would match Houston veteran Manny Sanchez (24-11) against El Paso’s James Pleasant (6-1) for the APFC lightweight title.