Combat sports: Long flight, big opportunity for Lindenmuth

In her eventful, three-year professional boxing career, Bosque Farms’ Katherine Lindenmuth has been no stranger to air travel: once to Salt Lake City, three times to California, one international flight to Montreal.

Never during that boxing career, nor during her 35 years on earth, has she flown over an ocean.

Late next month, if all goes as planned, that will change.

Big time.

Lindenmuth has signed a contract that will send her to Bangkok for a scheduled May 31 bout against Thailand’s Phunnakran Karnjanawong for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association minimumweight (105-pound) title.

It would be first fight for a title of any kind, much less a world title, for Lindenmuth (6-4, two knockouts) — something she’s been pursuing almost from the first time she fought as a pro in April 2022.

“We’re locking in,” she said during a recent interview at Rosales Kickboxing and Karate, where she trains under the tutelage of Tony Rosales. “We’ve had fight camps because of possible fights that I’ve had in the last couple of months that I’ve been approached for, and with all things in boxing, things fall through.

“So we’ve stayed in shape, and now we’re just getting into specific fight shape to go out there, be ready to go, be at weight before we leave. Because this is completely new territory, a new country, new food, new weather. It’s going to be an experience.”

Judging solely from Karnjanawong’s record — 4-6-1, having lost her last five bouts — just getting to Bangkok might present more of a challenge than the fight itself. The Thai boxer is just 19 years old.

Lindenmuth herself has lost three of her last four, but against opponents with a cumulative record of 32-3 — one of those a former world champion in the person of Montreal’s Kim Clavel, now 21-2.

In any event, she and Rosales said, there’ll be no underestimating Karnjanawong. There’s too much at stake.

“It’s a step up,” Lindenmuth said. “I think every time we’ve fought, we’ve leveled up. Each fighter has brought me up a level, and I feel that’s what it takes to be a champion.”

Lindenmuth, a widowed mother of three boys, works full time and has a Master’s in criminal justice from Grand Canyon University. An accomplished distance runner, she trains for boxing at either of Rosales’ two locations — one in Los Lunas, the other in northeast Albuquerque.

Rosales said it was Lindenmuth’s personal story, as much as her boxing resume, that brought her to the attention of Filipino promoter Brico Santig.

Her busy schedule will continue until May 27, when she, Rosales and cornerman Juan Chavez will leave for Thailand. Her sons and her boyfriend, Jonathan Korman, will stay home.

“It was just too much to take them,” she said. “… I just feel Ike there’s a lot on the line, and I need my focus.”

The beauty of Thailand and the charms of Bangkok, she said, won’t be completely lost on her. She’s not scheduled to start on the trip home until the Monday after the fight.

But, she said, “This isn’t a sight-seeing trip. It’s beautiful, I’m excited to go there, but I have a job. I’ve got to bring home that belt.”

USA BOXING: In Pueblo, Colorado, Albuquerque’s Leroy Clark defeated New Yorks Tritchlet Merius by split (4-1) decision for the 198-pound title at last week’s USA Boxing International Open. It was Clark’s third national-level amateur title.

Peralta’s Alexa Garrobo brought home a silver medal in the 132-pound women’s bracket. Garrobo defeated Northern California’s Kaylee-Ann Knight by unanimous decision and Seattle’s Casey Dial by split (3-2) decision en route to the title bout, losing by unanimous decision to Colorado’s Omayra Dominguez.

GOLDEN GLOVES: Results from the Colorado-New Mexico Golden Gloves regionals, held April 12 in Roswell:

Angel Sandoval, Clovis, defeated Robert Castillo, Colorado, at 121 pounds.

Prikasa Sunuwar, Colorado, defeated Kaleb Medina, Albuquerque, 143.

Bradlee Jordan, Las Vegas, defeated Shawn Daniels, Colorado, 154.

Pratik Gurung Sinuwar, Colorado, defeated Ib Maiga, Rio Rancho, 165.

Qals Alizada, Colorado, defeated Alvaro Garcia, Las Cruces, 176.

Albuquerque’s Trevion Boyd, 132 pounds, was disqualified after failing to make weight. His coach, Yoruba Moreu, said Boyd initially was told he had until 11:30 a.m. on fight day to weigh back in after losing the excess weight. When Boyd returned to the venue shortly after 10, Moreu said, he was told it was too late.

Winners at regionals will be combined to form a Colorado-New Mexico team at Golden Gloves nationals, scheduled for May 12-17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

No results from regionals were listed for New Mexico state champions Clark, Albuquerque, 198, Anthony Cruz, Roswell, 187, and Albuquerque’s Alexandra Rocha, 114. If those boxers were unopposed at regionals, they’re eligible to compete at nationals.