Joe Louis Murphy鈥檚 legacy lives on in Satcher and his boxers
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Everything Zimbalist 鈥淶im鈥� Satcher teaches as a boxing coach, from throwing a jab to slipping one, from hitting the heavy bag and hitting the speed bag, flows from his long, devoted apprenticeship with the late Joe Louis Murphy.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 all it is,鈥� Satcher said on Thursday during an interview outside his garage, which serves as a makeshift gym at his home in Rio Rancho. 鈥淗e gave me all the tools, and it wouldn鈥檛 be right not to use it.鈥�
Saturday, Satcher will take two of his boxers, his son Zimbalist Satcher II and Emilio Lopez, to Moriarty for a Texas vs. New Mexico amateur card.
Entering their bouts in Moriarty, Lopez is 0-2 and Zim II is 0-1.
Of course, the losses rankled. Of course, both young boxers are hoping to break into the win column on Saturday.
Yet, they鈥檝e learned from their coach, as Satcher learned from Murphy, that boxing is about far more than wins and losses.
Lopez, 19, dropped out of high school at 14. He started training at Jack Candelaria Community Center, where Murphy 鈥� a New Mexico boxing icon 鈥� spotted him and took an interest.
鈥淗e really helped me get my act together,鈥� Lopez said.
Zim II had known Murphy since he was 7 or so, having accompanied his father to the gym.
鈥�(Murphy) would call me into the ring,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd I鈥檇 help with the older fighters in the corner.鈥�
Still, Zim II, 16, initially preferred basketball; he also runs track at Cleveland High School.
鈥淪ome stuff happened with basketball, and then I made the transition to boxing,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I fell in love with it.鈥�
The lessons learned from Murphy, and passed on by Satcher, begin and end with discipline and respect 鈥� respect for the sport, for their coach, for teammates and for opponents.
鈥淚 dropped out of high school and was sort of lost,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淏oxing helped me find my way back to discipline and just being respectful and really being appreciative of what I have.鈥�
After losing his first fight, Zim II said, 鈥淚 was upset, but at the same time I have a great team around me. I was like, 鈥楧arn, I wish I wish I could have won.鈥� But at the same time, I was like 鈥業 love you guys,鈥� and they were there for me.鈥�
As discouraging as it was to lose his first two bouts, Lopez said, 鈥淚 never thought about walking away, because I knew (sa国际传媒官网网页入口 boxing Hall of Famer) Bobby Foster lost his first few amateur fights. Same with (world champion Manny) Pacquiao.
鈥溾�� So I didn鈥檛 really look at it as a discouraging thing. I look at it as a way to push myself.鈥�
Despite Saturday鈥檚 New Mexico vs. Texas motif, Lopez and Zim II are each facing New Mexico opponents.
In a rematch, Lopez is scheduled to face Antonio Morales from the Duke City Underdogs. Zim II is matched against Jesus Cisneros from TNT Boxing.
Of his own club, Satcher has seen the team grow from two boxers 鈥� Lopez and Zim II 鈥� to 20.
As always, it鈥檚 about honoring Murphy, who died in November just days after his long overdue induction into the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame.
鈥淭he thing Joe left us with was perfect technique,鈥� Satcher said. 鈥淓ven though we strive for it, we鈥檒l never be perfect. 鈥� There鈥檚 always room to improve, even when you think you have all the answers.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we love about it.鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 card is being staged by sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Sigala family: Tony and daughters Brandy and Cat.
For information, call 505-377-9608.
