HOLM CAPTURES THIRD TITLE
By Andy Rivera
Photo's By Tom Hernandez

Holly Holm became a three time World Champion Friday night as she captured the IFBA Jr. Middleweight to go along with her IBA Jr. Welterweight title and WBA Welterweight title with an almost complete shutout of Trica Turton. Holm captured the title by the scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 on the final card. Holm was the bigger and quicker of the two and it showed as she was able to dominate the game Turton, who was just to small.

Holm came out strong in round one landing lead left hands to the head of Turton, but to Turton’s credit she shook it off and landed a few left hands of herself as both fighters being left-handed would use their left as their primary weapon. In the final: 30 of the round Holm turned it on and landed quick combinations to the head of Turton. Holm’s speed defiantly paid off in the opening stanza.

Much of the same in the second & third rounds as Holm’s speed was the difference. Turton would try to cut off the ring on Holm but Holm was able to move and land quick flurries. Turton’s nose started to bleed. Turton was unable land more then one punch at a time.

Round four had Turton still coming forward with Holm picking her apart with quick flurries. Turton showed a lot of frustration as she was unable to land on Holm flush, but to Turton credit she kept coming forward and held nothing back.

Turton kept the pressure on Holm in rounds five and six, but once again Holm countered well landing hard right hooks to the head of Turton, who had trouble getting inside Holm’s long arms and when she was able to get close didn’t have the power to do damage.

Holm dominated rounds seven thru nine with constant right hands to the head of Turton with Turton being game but unable to land anything significant. Turton looked more and more flustered with her unable to trap Holm; in fact Holm now had Turton going to ropes more. Turton couldn’t get inside Holm’s long arms missing most of her shots while Holm continued to land.

Holm looked to put more power shots in the tenth and final round as she trapped Turton early in the round landing hard left hands to the head of Turton but Turton would take it like a true Gladiator, but she could muster one last rally. It was all Holm.

Holm now looks to head to Denver to see her favorite football team the Broncos battle Seattle on Sunday. Holm dedicated the fight to Vicente Garcia who was killed last month, she also looks to return in February.

         

     
 

MUNOZ WINS WBC US TITLE
Hector Munoz captured the WBC United States Jr. Welterweight title with a fourth round stoppage over Jeremiah Torres. Munoz was the only one who could win the title as Torres was a late sub for Carlos Madrid who pulled out earlier this week, thus bringing in Torres. Torres weighed 144, which is over the 140 limit, but the WBC still allowed the fight to go.

Munoz broke down Torres with vicious body shots as Torres was unable to mount an attack other then an occasional right hand to Munoz head, but Munoz would keep coming forward. Torres looked winded after the 2^nd round but he kept punching albeit missing wildly.

In the fourth round Munoz backed Torres up with a right hand to the head, then proceeded to pummel Torres until referee Rocky Burke halted the action, thus giving Munoz his first title.

After the fight Torres felt it was stopped a little too soon as did the crowd as the booed its disapproval of the stoppage, but felt it was his fault. “I wasn’t busy enough, he didn’t hit hard at all, and it was more pitter pat.” When comparing other opponents in New Mexico to Munoz, Torres feels Munoz would get hurt. “If he fought Gomez, Gomez would hurt him, he is a better fighter.”

Munoz to his credit has improved each fight out, but the fans would like to see him in a tougher fight, with most of his fights coming against opponents with losing records, of his 17 wins, 4 have winning records. Madrid would have been a good step up but not to any fault of Munoz he backed out. Hopefully now with a title Munoz will step it up in his next fight.

Munoz is now 17-1, while Torres falls to 7-14.
     

     
 

“EL DIABLO” HALTS FLORES
Alex “El Diablo” Becerra halted tough and game Felix Flores, Flores injured his left shoulder. Flores gave former WBC Youth titlist David Martinez a tough battle in his last fight this past September, so it was a good win for Becerra.

Both fighters had there moments in the fight with both throwing hard shots, Flores doing most of his damage with a left, while Becerra using both left hooks and right hand leads.
Rounds two & three saw it close, but Becerra had the edge by landing more.

As the fight progressed Becerra started to pull away by using his speed to his advantage as he was able to put cleaner shots together, while Flores was game Becerra’s speed was the difference.

In between the fifth and sixth round referee Rocky Burke halted the fight as Flores corner informed him that Flores sustained a shoulder injury. Now that Becerra is back on the winning track after his tough loss against unbeaten Raul Martinez. Bacerra is now 19-4, while Flores falls to 13-8.
 

SYKES GETS BACK ON TRACK
Heavyweight Tyrus Sykes destroyed Patrick Smith of Denver Colorado at the 1:13 mark of the third round. Sykes is coming off a loss to Derrick Bryant. With the win Sykes is still in line for bigger fights as he is a heavyweight with a good record and people love to see the big guy’s fights.

Sykes put Smith down with the first hard punch he threw as he landed a huge right hand flush on Smith’s jaw sending him down to the seat of his pants. Sykes didn’t load up knowing he had his man in trouble, he took his time picking Smith apart.
Smith, who seemed more content to spit out his mouth piece out, rather then fight.

The second saw more of Sykes landing more and Smith spitting more, referee Russell Mora warned Smith twice for spitting out his mouth.

The third had Sykes drop Smith again with another right hand, this time Smith didn’t get up as he was counted out by Mora. With his win Sykes raises his record to 25-4-1, while Smith falls to 5-8-2.
     

     
 

GOMEZ & VALDEZ BATTLE TO DRAW
In possibly the best fight of the night Bobby Joe Valdez & Joe Gomez fought to a six round draw. It was a fight that was hard to score, with Gomez trying to use his height and reach to keep the very aggressive Valdez away, but Valdez came to fight showing the fans that he still has some in the tank to keep going.

Both fighters came out smoking, as Valdez attacked from the get go, landing right hooks and left hands to the head of Gomez, bringing the crowd to its feet, Gomez would fire back with hard right hand leads to the head of Valdez. It was back and forth but Valdez had the edge by being more aggressive.

Gomez settled down in the second by controlling the round with his jab followed by right hands to the head. Valdez to his credit kept coming forward landing left hooks to the head but it was Gomez who controlled the round by out boxing the aggressive Valdez.

Valdez would win the third & fourth rounds by once again going right at Gomez, landing with both left and rights to Gomez head and body. Gomez would try to jab and move but had little effect on Valdez. Gomez did have a small nick on his left eye, but it never was an issue. If Gomez was to lose the fight it may have been his fault for being less aggressive and being on his bicycle.

Gomez would fight a conservative fight sticking a moving but it wasn’t effective. When he did land it was one punch at a time. The best punch in the fight was landed by Gomez as he landed a right hand flush on Valdez only to admire the shot and not follow thru, thus giving Valdez a chance to battle back.

In the final round it was more of the same as Gomez ran and Valdez pursued, it was a tough fight much less round to score as who do you take, the mover who lands one at a time or the aggressive fighter.  At Press row it was split, but most felt Valdez won the fight.

In the end the judges were split also with one giving it to Gomez 58-57, the second going to Valdez by the same score, while the third having it even at 57-57. Boxingscene.com/NewMexicoSportsNews.com scoring it for Valdez at 58-57.
 
     

   

ESQUIBEL HAS EASY NIGHT
Jodi Esquibel had more trouble figuring out who her opponent would be then her fight itself. Esquibel had her opponent changed three times since the final press conference this past Wednesday. One was finally secured the day of the fight; Holly Kumisch was brought in from Wyoming to fight Esquibel.
It looked to be a mismatch early as Kumisch had no defense for Esquibel who could have ended the fight at anytime. Esquibel landed a hard right hand to the head of Kumisch that had her turn her back on referee Rocky Burke; from there it was all Esquibel as she continued to land until Burke halted the action at 1:03.
Esquibel raises her record to 4-1, while the pro debut of Kumisch, who should think of another way to make money falls to 0-1. Esquibel looks to get back in the ring soon; it has been hard for her promoter Lenny Fresquez  to get her a suitable opponent due to her size there just isn’t enough 107 pound women her in the United States, with most being over seas in the Orient.
     
 

LOPEZ DECISIONS DORIA
In the opening fight of the night Caesar Lopez captured a unanimous decision over Luis Doria. Lopez controlled the fight from the get go, using his speed to keep Doria off balance in route to his 20th win.