Rashad Evans scheduled to box 'Rampage' Jackson in the Pit

The New Mexico Athletic Commission on Friday approved an April 12 professional boxing card at the Pit (pending finalization of the contract with UNM), with former UFC fighters Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson throwing down in the main event.

The card is a co-promotion between Albuquerque’s Tapia Promotions (Teresa Tapia) and Florida-based Signature Punch Promotions.

A number of New Mexico boxers are expected to populate the undercard. Albuquerque welterweight Josh Torres (27-7-2, 15 KOs), who has performed on several Tapia-promoted cards, told the Journal via text he expects to appear on the April 12 event.

The card would take place a week ahead of an April 19 Legacy Promotions boxing card at the Embassy Suites, headlined by the return of Albuquerque’s Abraham Perez (10-0, five knockouts) after a near drowning in his family swimming pool.

The April 19 Legacy card also features the return to the ring of Albuquerque’s Fidel Maldonado Jr. (27-5-1, 20 KOs) after a five-year hiatus.

Neither Evans nor Jackson, the headliners of the April 12 card, has competed as a boxer.

Evans, 45, who for years trained in Albuquerque at Jackson-Wink, has a 20-8-1 MMA record. He lost four of his last five MMA fights.

Jackson, 46, is 37-14-1 as an MMA fighter, having lost three of his last four.

Evans and Jackson faced each other in the Octagon on May 29, 2010, Evans winning by unanimous decision.

GUERO VS. GRIFFIN: Albuquerque boxer Jose Luis “Guero” Sanchez (14-4-1, four KOs) is scheduled to face Avious Griffin (16-0, 15 KOs) on Feb. 20 in New York City, with the vacant WBC USA welterweight title at stake.

As impressive as Griffin’s record is, and his knockout ratio even more so, the Chattanooga, Tennessee native has not faced the quality of competition that Sanchez has. Sanchez’s last three losses have come against fighters — Santiago Dominguez, Jahi Tucker, Xander Zayas — who had a combined record of 43-0 entering those bouts.

As well, Sanchez has been known to spring an upset. In October 2023, he defeated then unbeaten Golden Boy Promotions prospect Eric Tudor by unanimous decision. Tudor has won three bouts since then and is now 12-1.

Tickets are not yet available for either of the April boxing cards, though Aaron Perez of Legacy Promotions said tickets for his event will go on sale in the next few days.

UP NEXT FOR GINITHAN: Las Cruces boxer Samantha Ginithan (1-0, one KO) is scheduled to face Jennah Creason (2-0, no KOs) of Visalia, California in a four-round junior welterweight bout on a Feb. 19 pro card in Jamestown, California.

Creason represents a significant step up from Kayla Williams, Ginithan’s first opponent, who opted not to continue after being dropped twice in the first round of their Sept. 27 bout in suburban Atlanta.

Creason had some international amateur experience before turning pro.

But Ginithan likely represents a major step up for Creason as well.

The Las Cruces southpaw is a former USA Boxing and Golden Gloves national amateur champion and competed with great success last year in the Team Combat League.

LORD KONG: Jackson-Wink heavyweight Don’Tale “Lord Kong” (11-7) is scheduled to face Brazil’s Valter Walker (12-1) on a Feb. 15 UFC Fight Night card at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

CATCHING UP: FIT-NHB amateur fighters Tyler Mitchell and Sergio Gutierrez took victories last month in Denver.

Gutierrez, 5-1, retained his SCL flyweight MMA title with a victory over Frank Saint-Peter by first-round submission (rear naked choke) on Jan. 19.

Two days earlier, Mitchell defeated Devon Scott by unanimous decision on an amateur boxing card.