COMBAT SPORTS
Jackson won't corner for Hokit, Garcia at White House
Olayo-Mu帽oz, three more New Mexico boxers headed for Golden Gloves Nationals
When Steve Garcia and Josh Hokit fight on the White House South Lawn on June 14 (but not against each other), they evidently will do so without Greg Jackson in their corner.
Jackson, co-founder with Mike Winkeljohn of sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Jackson-Wink MMA Academy, confirmed via text on Friday an earlier Instagram post by Hokit that Jackson will not corner for Hokit on the much-ballyhooed UFC Freedom Fights 250.
Hokit posted only that Jackson would not corner for him for 鈥減ersonal reasons,鈥� but Jackson told the Journal via text he also will not corner for Garcia.
Hokit and Garcia train at Jackson-Wink, and Jackson is a key member of each fighter鈥檚 team.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 be there for either guy this time,鈥� Jackson texted, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 keeping (the reason) off the record.鈥�
Garcia (19-5), a featherweight from sa国际传媒官网网页入口 by way of Rio Rancho who鈥檚 riding a seven-fight win streak, is matched against Brazil鈥檚 Diego Lopes (27-8). A victory over Lopes, the No. 2 challenger to the UFC featherweight title, would boost Garcia, ranked No. 9, higher in the rankings.
Hokit (9-0), a heavyweight and a former Fresno State fullback, got the full attention of the MMA world with his Fight of the Night, Performance of the Night victory over sixth-ranked Curtis Blaydes on April 11. That night, UFC President Dana White announced Hokit would face Derrick Lewis (29-13) on the Freedom Fights card.
Hokit has quickly climbed to a No. 5 heavyweight ranking. Lewis, selected as Hokit鈥檚 opponent apparently because he鈥檚 a favorite of President Donald Trump, is the No. 9 contender.
GOLDEN GLOVES: In Longmont, Colorado, four New Mexico amateur boxers won their bouts against Colorado opponents on Saturday, qualifying for the Golden Gloves National Championships May 11-16 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Las Cruces鈥� Joscelyn Olayo-Mu帽oz, 106 pounds, defeated Colorado鈥檚 Malia Paculan. Olayo-Mu帽oz, winner of 16 national titles as she progressed through various age groups in USA Boxing competition, is seeking her first open-division national title.
sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Azariah Perez, 121 pounds, defeated Colorado鈥檚 Jose Sanchez.
Rio Rancho鈥檚 Ib Maiga, 165 pounds, defeated Colorado鈥檚 Ismael Florez.
Rio Rancho鈥檚 Andres Garcia, 198 pounds, defeated Colorado鈥檚 Joel Cano.
New Mexico and Colorado winners at regionals will compete as a team at nationals.
OHKAY FIGHTS: Bloomfield welterweight boxer Rolyn Nez (7-0, four knockouts) remained unbeaten with an impressive victory by four-round, unanimous decision over Ephraim Martinez Saturday on a pro card at Ohkay Hotel Casino at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.
Martinez (6-3, two KOs) had handed Kirtland鈥檚 Elija Martinez, Nez鈥檚 friend and sometime training partner, his only pro defeat.
Elsewhere on Saturday鈥檚 Pat Holmes/Donald Sanchez card:
Espa帽ola鈥檚 Antonio 鈥淭one鈥� Martinez (12-5-4, six KOs) made a successful return to the ring with a victory by six-round unanimous decision over Raymond Chacon (a ghastly 11-75-1) of Torrance, California in a six-round bout. (None of the three Martinezes, Antonio, Ephraim and Elija, are related)
Santa Fe鈥檚 Eduardo Pi帽on remained unbeaten (3-0, one KO) with a victory by four-round decision over sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Quentin DeLeon (1-2). sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Jorge Villarruel (3-0, two KOs) also maintained his clean sheet, defeating Joe Moralez (2-3, two KOs) of Englewood, Colorado by third-round TKO.
Santa Fe鈥檚 Jerome Rivera, a former UFC fighter, is 2-0 (one KO) as a boxer after stopping sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Javier Sainz (0-2) in the second round. Another Santa Fe fighter, Aiseah Achesah (3-0, one KO), defeated Hobbs鈥� Yhorhighness Rezzaq (2-3, two KOs) by unanimous four-round decision.
sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Mark Morgenstern made a successful pro debut with a victory by first-round TKO over sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 George Roybal (0-7).
