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Saturday
Boxing: Leanna Martinez vs. Amanda Lovato, Jorge Villarruel vs. Shaquan Wagner, four other bouts.
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Embassy Suites
Tickets: sold out
Leanna Martinez’s boxing journey began more than 20 years ago. It has been as long and winding a trip as the drive from Cordova, her tiny hometown in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, to Albuquerque — the site of her scheduled bout Saturday night against Amanda Lovato.
She embraces it all: the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the sickness and health.
“It’s really shaped the person that I am,” she said. “… It’s really (about) proving to myself and hoping to be a positive role model to other people, that you can overcome.”
Martinez, 34, began boxing as an amateur at age 13. She won a USA Boxing national title before turning pro in 2017. She then reeled off four straight victories, then lost three bouts in a row before COVID-19 brought a halt to all professional boxing in New Mexico.
Her boxing hiatus was prolonged beyond COVID by another hiatus — that of trainer and promoter Pat Holmes, who left the sport for a period of time — and her own health issues.
Martinez’s losing streak reached five after her return, with losses to Randee Lyn Morales in March 2023 and to Maryguenn Vellinga in November 2025. But she evened her record at 5-5 on Jan. 31 with a victory by second-round TKO over Tarrethia Dixon on a Holmes Promotions card at Ohkay Hotel Casino outside of Espanola.
The journey continues on Saturday with a scheduled four-round bout against Lovato, whose 1-4-1 record is deceiving. One of her four losses came via split decision in April 2022 against Bosque Farms’ Katherine Lindenmuth (9-5-1, three KOs), who has gone on to win three pro title belts. Lindenmuth also defeated Vellinga by unanimous decision in March 2024.
Lovato’s record was in essence all Martinez knew about her upcoming opponent when interviewed by the Journal earlier this week. In any event, Martinez said, she’s ready.
“Anything (Lovato) throws at me … I’m ready for all of it,” she said. “So I’m really excited. This is, honestly, the best shape I’ve very been in in my entire career.
“Even Pat (Holmes), my coach, has said that this is the best I’ve looked.
“This is the best I’ve looked and the best I’ve felt.”
Helping others feel better, though, is how Martinez makes her living. She’s a registered nurse.
“I’m a nurse contractor,” she said. “… I mostly see elderly patients, and in my own community.
“I try to give back to my community in that way and be there for people in my community as much as I can.”
THE CARD: Saturday’s card at the Embassy Suites is the promotional debut of Donald Sanchez, a longtime Albuquerque MMA fighter, boxer and bare-knuckle fighter, under his DSP banner. Sanchez told the Journal via text on Wednesday that the card is essentially a sellout.
CARRASCO YES, MOREU NO: Las Cruces boxer Ariana Carrasco (1-0) is scheduled to make her pro debut on Friday in El Paso.
Wait. What?
Yes, this will be Carrasco’s debut, and yes, she’s 1-0 entering Friday’s bout. Her first scheduled opponent on a March 14 card in El Paso, Tennielle Young, climbed into the ring that night — then climbed out when she heard Carrasco’s impressive amateur resume recited by the ring announcer.
Because Young actually entered the ring, it counts as a victory for Carrasco — who can only hope Chanisse Jenner, her opponent on Friday, chooses to answer the bell.
Meanwhile, Yoruba Moreu Jr.’s bout scheduled for Saturday in Indianapolis is off.
Yoruba Moreu Sr, his son’s trainer, said that some potential opponents turned down the fight, others demanded more money than the promoter was willing to pay and others were rejected by the Indiana boxing commission.
“This is a setback, not a stopping point,” the elder Moreu wrote in a statement.
Moreu Jr. is 3-0 with three knockouts.
MILLER TIME: Albuquerque MMA fighter Ty Miller (7-0) is scheduled to face Billy Ray Goff of Groton, Connecticut on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Miller, a Sandia High School graduate, earned a UFC contract in August 2025 with a victory by unanimous decision over Jimmy Drago on Dana White’s Contender series. He made his UFC debut with a first-round TKO of Adam Fugitt on Jan. 24.
More combat sports news
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Albuquerque welterweight Josh Torres faces a late replacement Friday, vowing to win in spectacular fashion regardless of who steps into the ring.
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Moreu, dad and son, hope Indy can grease the wheels
Young Albuquerque boxer has the talent, needs the opportunities
*
Cabral has plenty of reasons to keep fighting
He's scheduled to face Sollano on a Legacy Promotions card at the Embassy Suites on July 31
*
Give bare-knuckle a fighting chance, supporters say
NM Athletic Commission tables proposed rules change that would ban the sport in the state
Continue reading...
Boxing: Leanna Martinez vs. Amanda Lovato, Jorge Villarruel vs. Shaquan Wagner, four other bouts.
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Embassy Suites
Tickets: sold out
Leanna Martinez’s boxing journey began more than 20 years ago. It has been as long and winding a trip as the drive from Cordova, her tiny hometown in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, to Albuquerque — the site of her scheduled bout Saturday night against Amanda Lovato.
She embraces it all: the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the sickness and health.
“It’s really shaped the person that I am,” she said. “… It’s really (about) proving to myself and hoping to be a positive role model to other people, that you can overcome.”
Martinez, 34, began boxing as an amateur at age 13. She won a USA Boxing national title before turning pro in 2017. She then reeled off four straight victories, then lost three bouts in a row before COVID-19 brought a halt to all professional boxing in New Mexico.
Her boxing hiatus was prolonged beyond COVID by another hiatus — that of trainer and promoter Pat Holmes, who left the sport for a period of time — and her own health issues.
Martinez’s losing streak reached five after her return, with losses to Randee Lyn Morales in March 2023 and to Maryguenn Vellinga in November 2025. But she evened her record at 5-5 on Jan. 31 with a victory by second-round TKO over Tarrethia Dixon on a Holmes Promotions card at Ohkay Hotel Casino outside of Espanola.
The journey continues on Saturday with a scheduled four-round bout against Lovato, whose 1-4-1 record is deceiving. One of her four losses came via split decision in April 2022 against Bosque Farms’ Katherine Lindenmuth (9-5-1, three KOs), who has gone on to win three pro title belts. Lindenmuth also defeated Vellinga by unanimous decision in March 2024.
Lovato’s record was in essence all Martinez knew about her upcoming opponent when interviewed by the Journal earlier this week. In any event, Martinez said, she’s ready.
“Anything (Lovato) throws at me … I’m ready for all of it,” she said. “So I’m really excited. This is, honestly, the best shape I’ve very been in in my entire career.
“Even Pat (Holmes), my coach, has said that this is the best I’ve looked.
“This is the best I’ve looked and the best I’ve felt.”
Helping others feel better, though, is how Martinez makes her living. She’s a registered nurse.
“I’m a nurse contractor,” she said. “… I mostly see elderly patients, and in my own community.
“I try to give back to my community in that way and be there for people in my community as much as I can.”
THE CARD: Saturday’s card at the Embassy Suites is the promotional debut of Donald Sanchez, a longtime Albuquerque MMA fighter, boxer and bare-knuckle fighter, under his DSP banner. Sanchez told the Journal via text on Wednesday that the card is essentially a sellout.
CARRASCO YES, MOREU NO: Las Cruces boxer Ariana Carrasco (1-0) is scheduled to make her pro debut on Friday in El Paso.
Wait. What?
Yes, this will be Carrasco’s debut, and yes, she’s 1-0 entering Friday’s bout. Her first scheduled opponent on a March 14 card in El Paso, Tennielle Young, climbed into the ring that night — then climbed out when she heard Carrasco’s impressive amateur resume recited by the ring announcer.
Because Young actually entered the ring, it counts as a victory for Carrasco — who can only hope Chanisse Jenner, her opponent on Friday, chooses to answer the bell.
Meanwhile, Yoruba Moreu Jr.’s bout scheduled for Saturday in Indianapolis is off.
Yoruba Moreu Sr, his son’s trainer, said that some potential opponents turned down the fight, others demanded more money than the promoter was willing to pay and others were rejected by the Indiana boxing commission.
“This is a setback, not a stopping point,” the elder Moreu wrote in a statement.
Moreu Jr. is 3-0 with three knockouts.
MILLER TIME: Albuquerque MMA fighter Ty Miller (7-0) is scheduled to face Billy Ray Goff of Groton, Connecticut on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Miller, a Sandia High School graduate, earned a UFC contract in August 2025 with a victory by unanimous decision over Jimmy Drago on Dana White’s Contender series. He made his UFC debut with a first-round TKO of Adam Fugitt on Jan. 24.
More combat sports news
*
Torres makes the best of a puzzling situation
Albuquerque welterweight defeats 'weird' Valenzuela; Cabral captures title belt
*
Torres ready to shine despite opponent swap
Albuquerque welterweight Josh Torres faces a late replacement Friday, vowing to win in spectacular fashion regardless of who steps into the ring.
*
Moreu, dad and son, hope Indy can grease the wheels
Young Albuquerque boxer has the talent, needs the opportunities
*
Cabral has plenty of reasons to keep fighting
He's scheduled to face Sollano on a Legacy Promotions card at the Embassy Suites on July 31
*
Give bare-knuckle a fighting chance, supporters say
NM Athletic Commission tables proposed rules change that would ban the sport in the state
Continue reading...
