By David Finger
One of New Mexico’s most successful boxing series returns August 4th as Isidro Castillo and School of Hard Knocks Boxing host an action pack show at Club La Sierra in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Although Hobbs’s three most noteworthy fighters (Edgar Zubia, Gerardo Quintana and Isidro Castillo Jr.) will not be on the card, there is nonetheless no shortage of talented young fighters looking to showcase their skills in front of some of the most devout boxing fans in the Southwest. In a fight that will showcase one of New Mexico’s hottest young prospects, undefeated Aaron “Angel Baby” Perez (3-0, 3 KOs) of Albuquerque will face off against the durable Gene Perez (2-13-1, 0 KOs) in a four round lightweight contest.
Although the fight looks to be a mismatch on paper, few are counting out the durable Gene Perez, who has gone the distance with some of Texas and New Mexico’s best prospects. Perez went the distance with Patrick Holmes Jr., Brandon Holmes (twice), Alex Holguin, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Abel Navarette among others. He has shown an ability to frustrate young up and coming fighters, and although Aaron Perez is seen as a heavy favorite, it is nonetheless seen as an opportunity for “Angel Baby” to set himself apart from the rest of the pact by scoring a rare stoppage over Gene.
In the co-main event undefeated heavyweight Chris Cruz (1-0-1, 1 KO) looks to continue his comeback as he faces off against Eduardo Silva (1-1, 1 KO) of Belen. Cruz turned pro back in 2009 with a draw against Colorado’s Mike Montoya, holding the then undefeated Montoya to a four round draw. However Cruz then was on the bench for the better part of eight years before coming back in October of 2017 with a first round KO over Ernest Jordan Reyna in a fight in Robstown, Texas. Silva is best known for spoiling the homecoming of Clovis, New Mexico’s Elijo Sena back on May 12, 2018. Silva scored a first round TKO over Sena due to a knee injury suffered by Sena, and although some fans considered the win over Sena to be something of a fluke, he is nonetheless a fighter who in coming in off a TKO over an undefeated prospect.
Rounding off the card is welterweight Jose Prado (9-2-1, 3 KOs) of Pharr, Texas as he squares off against Derek Perez (1-8-1, 1 KO) of Belen. Although Prado is seen as the favorite, he struggled against Gene Perez in his last fight, scoring a four round split decision. Prior to that Prado gave the Japanese born Mexican brawler Shoki Sakai all he could handle, holding the former 140-pound WBC youth champion to an eight round draw before dropping a majority decision to him.
In the main-event a pair of gritty brawlers look to square off in the light heavyweight division as Kelly Westby (0-1) of Hobbs looks to score his first victory against Midland Texas’s Michael Sanchez (1-1, 1 KO) of Midland. Sanchez earned respect from local boxing fans when he stepped into the ring with Joey Alday on less than a day’s notice back in November of last year. The undefeated Alday crushed Sanchez in a minute but fans still were impressed that Sanchez came out swinging for the fences. His persistence and aggression paid off in his next fight as he scored a second round TKO over debuting Andrew Tapia in Tapia’s hometown back on May 12th. Westby hasn’t fought in the boxing ring since 2015, when he was stopped in the second round in an action packed fight against cross town rival Oscar Espinoza.
Also on the card undefeated female lightweight prospect Ayanna Vasquez (3-0-1, 1 KO) of Las Cruces takes on debuting Bridgette Baca of Albuquerque in a four round fight. Although only 23, Vasquez has struggled with inactivity, fighting only four times since turning pro back in June of 2016. Rounding off the card is a battle of winless lightweights in the men’s division as Jorrel Sparenburg (0-3) steps in with Levi Lucero (0-1) of Albuquerque in a four round contest.
Doors will open to the public at 6pm with the first fight set to kick off at 7pm. Tickets are $45 and can be obtained at Club La Sierra at 3000 W. Marland in Hobbs or by calling Isidro Castillo at 575-263-4942.