COMBAT SPORTS
Honoring Johnny Tapia: A festival, a lounge, and family in the ring
Teresa Tapia keeps her late husband's legacy alive with a boxing festival, the Tapia Fite Lounge
Johnny Tapia died on May 27, 2012, after a boxing career that produced five world titles and made him an sa国际传媒官网网页入口 icon.
Accordingly, Teresa Tapia, the legendary fighter鈥檚 wife, has scheduled a pro boxing card for Saturday in her late husband鈥檚 beloved hometown. At least two of the couple鈥檚 three sons, Johnathan and Johnny Jr., are planning to perform in the ring that night.
That鈥檚 not all. Teresa is making a day of it: food trucks, jumpers with a water splash for the kids, then boxing 鈥� all outdoors in the parking lot of Leo鈥檚 bar at 12th and Candelaria NW.
鈥淭his is just more of a festival to honor Johnny,鈥� Teresa said.
But that鈥檚 still not all, not even close. The bottom floor of Leo鈥檚, a venerable North Valley establishment formerly known as Leonardo鈥檚, now houses The Tapia Fite Lounge 鈥� a standing memorial to the late world champion that also serves as a training and sparring venue for the city鈥檚 boxers.
It鈥檚 a sports bar with live entertainment of the pugilistic kind.
sa国际传媒官网网页入口 welterweight Josh Torres (29-7-2, 16 knockouts), who鈥檚 scheduled to fight Saturday鈥檚 main event in an eight-round bout against Argentina鈥檚 Diego Gonzalo Luque (21-17-2, 10 KOs), loves the concept.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool, man, I like it,鈥� Torres said Thursday night at Leo鈥檚 before beginning the final sparring session of his fight preparation. 鈥溾�� It reminds me of the old-school Tapia days where everybody comes on sparring days and shows up and it鈥檚 like pickup basketball but it鈥檚 pickup sparring.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 a lot of fun.鈥�
Torres, as well, is all in favor of anything that honors Johnny Tapia. He was training with the legendary champion at the time of his death and was a pall bearer at his funeral.
The Tapia Fite Lounge concept had its germination, Teresa said, at her most recent promotion Jan. 9 at El Nuevo Cananas Night Club on east Central.
Bar owner/restauranteur Leo Nu帽ez, who owns Leo鈥檚, also owns Cananas. Teresa told Nu帽ez that night she was planning to reopen a Tapia boxing gym, which has had multiple locations in the past.
鈥�(Nu帽ez) said, 鈥業 love the fight game. How can I help?鈥欌�� Teresa said. 鈥溾�� I started thinking, the wheels started turning, and I said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 do Tapia Fite Lounge.鈥欌��
The room is all boxing during the day with the bar closed, she said, punching bags hung in one area and a ring set up in another.
The bar opens at around 7 p.m. Patrons can choose to watch televised fights above the bar or live sparring sessions in the ring.
Torres, who said Thursday he was planning a light session with his fight just nine days away, wound up taking all comers.
At the bar entrance is a giant photo of Johnny Tapia, flanked by photos of sons Johnny Jr. on the left and Nicco Tapia on the right.
People come in, Teresa said, just to see that display.
鈥淪ome people stick around, some don鈥檛,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I always tell them, 鈥楾ake pictures.鈥欌��
The Tapia legacy
Nicco Tapia (1-0 as a pro), his mother said, was scheduled to fight on Saturday鈥檚 card but likely will not because of a time conflict.
Johnny Jr. (1-0, one KO) is scheduled to face Andrew Flamm (1-2), an sa国际传媒官网网页入口 native who lives in Durango, Colorado.
Johnathan Tapia (0-1) is planning a return to the ring after a 16-year hiatus. He made his pro debut on a March 2010 card headlined by his father at Ohkay Casino Resort near Espa帽ola.
The chance to honor his late father, Teresa said, motivated Johnathan to shed some 50 pounds in preparation for Saturday. He鈥檚 scheduled to face James Anderson (0-5, hometown unavailable).
San Felipe鈥檚 Clinton Chavez (8-2, five KOs) is matched against El Paso鈥檚 Eduardo Monrreal (3-5, three KOs) in a scheduled six-round bout.
It鈥檚 Chavez鈥檚 first bout since his fight-of-the-year caliber victory by eighth-round TKO over Hobbs鈥� Mario Gonzalez in November 2024.
Torres update
Torres, typically one of New Mexico鈥檚 busiest fighters, was idle for 18 months (June 2024-December 2025) while rehabbing a wrist injury.
Saturday鈥檚 bout will be his third in the past 5 1/2 months, and he鈥檚 scheduled to be back in the ring July 31 on a Legacy Promotions card at the Embassy Suites.
Torres has fought in Madison Square Garden and on national TV. At 36 鈥� he鈥檒l turn 37 before the year is out 鈥� he wants another big fight, at least one, before he鈥檚 done.
鈥淚 still feel hungry,鈥� Torres said. 鈥淚 feel like I have a lot of fight left in me. 鈥� I feel good mentally, physically.
鈥淚 want to make one last good run, get some big fights and make some noise.鈥�
