Huge boxing card at the Pit fills up, and it has a bit of everything

With the announcement of an opponent for Rio Rancho’s Brian Mendoza, the mammoth, 13-fight boxing card April 12 at the Pit appears to be complete.

Plenty of tickets are still available — not surprising, given the size of the venue and the price of the tickets. Prices for bench seats are $63 and $89; chairbacks begin at $140. The least expensive tickets remaining on the floor, according to a diagram at golobos.com, are $520.

But, regarding the card itself, it seems there’s something for almost everyone.

For the home folks and the boxing purists, there’s Mendoza, Matt Griego-Ortega and Josh Torres, accomplished Albuquerque-area boxers afforded a chance to fight in the Pit for the first time. The April 12 card is the first boxing event at the Pit since the late Johnny Tapia defeated Colombia’s Jorge Eliecer Julio in the main event of a card on Jan. 8, 2000.

Mendoza (22-4, 16 knockouts), as announced this week, is matched against Jireh De Los Santos (15-2, five KOs) of Weslaco, Texas. It will be Mendoza’s first fight in his home state since 2017. The Cleveland High School graduate lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Griego-Ortega (15-0, 10 KOs) is scheduled to face Ephraim Bui (10-1, seven KOs) of Sugar Land, Texas. Griego-Ortega will be fighting for the first time since fracturing his right hand during his victory over Gilberto Mendoza on Aug. 10 at Tingley Coliseum.

Torres (27-7-2, 15 KOs) is scheduled to face Miami’s Harold Eduardo Calderon (28-2, 19 KOs). Torres, typically one of New Mexico’s busiest fighters, has been out since June while rehabbing a wrist injury.

Is it legacy you crave? We’ll start with Johnny Tapia Jr. and Nicco Tapia, sons of the late, great five-time world champion. They’ll make their pro debuts at the Pit, where their father went 4-0 during his memorable career.

More legacy: Shane Mosley Jr., son of the former welterweight world champion; Fernando Vargas Jr., son of the former junior middleweight world champion; and Tim Witherspoon Jr., son of the former heavyweight champion, all are on the card.

This card is being staged by Signature Punch Promotions of Florida as part of the Influencer Crossover Series. So, yes, there’s crossover (MMA fighters and former pro football players turned boxers) and there are influencers.

The April 12 main event matches former MMA light heavyweights Rashad “Suga” Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in a rematch of their 2010 UFC fight in Las Vegas, Nevada — won by Evans, who trained in Albuquerque at Jackson-Wink for several years. The fight will be the pro boxing debut for both men.

That’s true of Albuquerque MMA legend Diego Sanchez as well. He’s matched against former MMA fighter John Makdessi, a native of Canada.

Former NFL defensive back D.J. Swearinger (pro boxing debut) is scheduled to face Thane Wadams, an online influencer who has had a single one-round boxing match in the Team Combat League, winning by decision.

Johnny Tapia Jr.’s scheduled opponent is Billy J, a YouTube influencer. Nicco Tapia, who turned 20 on Wednesday, is scheduled to face Japanese fitness guru Tatakai Kawakami.

There are women’s bouts as well: Jadalie Medeiros vs. Mollie Backowski; Lena Ovchinnikova vs. Chaz Gotti.

So, that’s our lucky 13. Fear not, prospective ticket buyers; you won’t need a sleeping bag. First bell is scheduled for 3 p.m.

GOLDEN GLOVES: Ten New Mexico amateur boxers have qualified to represent the state at the New Mexico-Colorado GG Regionals on April 12 in Roswell.

The Open Division winners at state Golden Gloves are Leroy Clark, Albuquerque, 198 pounds; Anthony Ortiz, Roswell, 187; Alvaro Garcia, Las Cruces, 176; Ib Maiga, Rio Rancho, 165; Bradley Jordan, Las Vegas, 154; Kaleb Medina, Albuquerque, 143; Trevion Boyd, Albuquerque, 132; Alexa Garrobo, Peralta, 132; Angel Sandoval, Clovis, 121; Alejandra Rocha, Albuquerque, 112.

The Colorado Golden Gloves tournament is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday. Winners at regionals will form a Colorado-New Mexico team for Golden Gloves nationals, scheduled for May 12-17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.