By Austin Killeen          (click on picture to enlarge)

For the second week in a row I’ll cover a main event that is driving Legacy promoters crazy. Undefeated Jason Sanchez was scheduled to be tested against a young stud when this card was put together. Thirty six hours before the bell rings, Stephon McIntyre is the fifth opponent scheduled to face Sanchez. Hometown heroes will be tested in the undercard, when Mathew Griego and Ronnie Baca face veteran fighters. There should be plenty of action when Cristian Castillo collides with Timothy Ruiz.

In the main event scheduled for 8 rounds Jason “El Alacrancito” Sanchez (10-0-0, 6 KO’s) 128.8 lbs.,  Albuquerque vs Stephon McIntyre (3-35-4, 1 KO) 130 lbs.,  Jonesboro, GA. This isn’t McIntyre’s first trip to the “Land of Enchantment” as he went the distance with Jose Osorio and Angelo Leo. McIntyre has good lateral movement and is not a stationary target. Sanchez is brutal puncher with power in both hands, power that he carries into the late rounds. When he faced veteran Juan Carlos Guillen he scored a spectacular knockout in the sixth round. Tonight Legacy Promotions planed to test Sanchez against a dangerous foe, but the injury gods had different plans. 

The following bouts are scheduled for 6 rounds

In the semi-final, Brian “La Bala” Mendoza (15-0-0, 10 K0’s) 146 lbs., Albuquerque will face John David Charles (9-12-0, 1 KO) 145.8 lbs., Corpus Christi, TX. This will be Mendoza’s first bout in eight months and he can’t wait to get back in the ring. As for ring rust, Mendoza works out religiously every day.   Mendoza appears ready to step up in class due to his power and boxing skills. Charles is a solid boxer, but lacks a punch.  If Charles can avoid Mendoza’s attack, he could have a chance at scoring an upset.

In the sixth bout of the evening, Mathew “Diamond Boy” Griego (7-0-0, 6 KO’s) 115.6 lbs., Albuquerque will face Alejandro Moreno (24-37-3, 11 KO’s) 115 lbs., Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This is Griego’s biggest test of his young career because Moreno is like the wind, hard to hit. The much more experienced Moreno has faced stronger competition in his sixty four bout career. Griego will have to be patient, not throwing wild punches, if he hopes to win. A victory tonight and Griego will be ready to face stiffer competition in the future. But Moreno has other plans, a win for him will mean bigger paydays ahead.

In the fifth bout of the evening, Cristian Cabral (7-1-1, 4 KO’s) 150 lbs., will face Tavorus Teague (3-17-2, 2 KO’s) 148.8 lbs., Bakersfield, CA. I’ve always liked Cabral, having seen him win his pro debut in a tough bout six years ago. Some boxers have a natural rhythm in the ring, something that’s hard to teach. That’s the best way I can describe Cabral; he reminds me of the late great welterweight champion Kid Gavilan. Working off lateral movement and a nice left jab, he creates opening which he exploits. Tavorus Teague has a powerful build and he’ll need it to slow down Cabral. Teague needs to cut off the ring and put Cabral on the ropes; otherwise it will be a long night for the California fighter.

If you’re wondering who is in the feature photo its Cristian Cabral’s nephew, his beautiful wife. and his handsome son. That’s the reason he has been so focused since making his comeback.

In the fourth bout of the evening, Matthew “Papitas” Esquibel (9-0-0, 4 KO’s) 146.2 lbs., Albuquerque will face Christopher Russell (3-20-1, 2 KO’s) 148 lbs., Shattuck, OK. Esquibel turned pro in 2006 but has had two long layoffs of five and four years. With one bout in nine years, Esquibel might be a little rusty. I saw his last comeback fight and was impressed with his basics. He’s well grounded in the fundamentals and should be able to pressure Russell. The fighter from Oklahoma needs to start off fast, catching Esquibel before he warms up to the task at hand.

In the third bout of the evening, Ronnie Baca (1-0-1, 1 KO) 145.8 lbs., will face Anthony Hill (1-23-0) 146.6 lbs., Fort Worth, TX. This contest is a lot like the Griego/Moreno bout, the hometown boy will face a stern test against a skilled defensive boxer. The tall Baca was tested in his last bout, fighting to a draw. In that matchup Baca showed the ability to fight on the inside in spite of his height. I’ve seen Hill in the ring on several occasions and he’s very hard to hit. If he can frustrate the inexperienced Baca, he’s capable of scoring an upset. This is a golden opportunity for Baca to show what he can do, but the elusive Hill plans to spoil the party.

In the second bout of the evening, Cristian Castillo (1-0-0, 1 KO) 140.2 lbs., will face Timothy Ruiz (1-0-0, 1 KO) 139.4 lbs.,  Hereford, NM. This could be the fight of the night, as both boxers can punch. I’ve seen both their knockouts and they showed a great deal of poise in their debuts. In his fight Castillo weathered an early attack by his larger opponent before dropping his rival with a clean shot to the head. Ruiz was hurt early in the first round of his debut, but displayed some nice defensive skills to get out of trouble. He used a nice body attack to turn things around, scoring a TKO in the second round. I like this matchup and recommend everyone to find their seats before the bell rings.

Jordanne Garcia (1-0-0) 154.2 lbs., Albuquerque will face Katie Ramirez (0-1-1) 145.6 lbs., Bosque Farms, NM. This should be a solid matchup between two tough ladies. I’ve seen both girls in action and they don’t hold back. They both like to come forward, pressuring their opponent. Garcia is probably the favorite, but Ramirez was the underdog in her last fight and got a draw that many felt she won. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned out to be the fight of the night.