Between boxing and mixed martial arts, New Mexico and El Paso, three names dominated the scene in 2006:

Holly Holm.

Antonio Escalante.

Diego Sanchez.

Keith Jardine.

2006’s “Fighters of the Year,” between them, have helped keep a scene that appears to be on the decline—that is, except for MMA’s Diego Sanchez, who is at the forefront of a sport that many say is taking over in New Mexico.

Since winning his division on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show on Spike TV, Sanchez, undefeated at 19-0, has wiped out his opposition with increasingly impressive means. In ’06, Sanchez beat highly-rated contenders—John Alessio, Karo Parisyan and Joe Riggs—and has become heir apparent to the UFC welterweight crown with only champ Georges St. Pierre, Matt Hughes and B.J. Penn rated ahead of him.

A title shot for Sanchez cannot help but happen in 2007.

Same goes for Keith Jardine, who started off the year with a defeat of Mike Whitehead on the undercard of UFC 57, then, was robbed in a decision loss to Stephan Bonnar on a Spike TV card in April. Jardine finished '06 by defeating Wilson Gouveia in June, then scoring one of the year's biggest MMA upsets by stopping Forrest Griffin on Dec. 30 in the co-main of UFC 66, placing himself just a fight away from a title shot at 205-pound king Chuck Liddell.

What Sanchez and Jardine are doing for MMA, Holm and Escalante are doing for New Mexico and El Paso, respectively.

In 2006, Holm, 16-1-2 (5 KOs), won two world titles—the WBA at 147 and IFBA at 154—while beating four top ten contenders in three (almost four) sold-out shows at Isleta Casino.

Since boxing circles around Christy Martin, in 2005, Holm, on a 9-bout winning streak, is the dominant name between 140 and 154.

In men’s boxing, no one between NM and El Paso came close to the advances made by Antonio Escalante, 14-1 (9 KOs). The Juarez-born El Pasoan won all four fights (all four televised, between Telefutura and PPV) in ’06, wowing fight fans in a slug-fest against Jose Hernandez (19-2) in January; winning the NABO 122-pound belt in May over Juan Ruiz (21-2); stopping Alex “Ali” Baba (22-9-1), who had a draw with Danny Romero in ’05, in July; and TKOing Omar Adorno (16-7-1) in October.

Escalante, signed with Golden Boy Promotions, has been given anything but easy fights, and he’s earned his way to contention; he’s rated as high as No. 3 (WBO) in a division rich with talent that includes champions Israel Vazquez, Daniel Ponce De Leon and Celestino Caballero.

Men’s Boxing in NM/EP

Escalante’s rapid rise made all other NM/EP fighters’ advances look like steps backward—and, for the most part, that’s what the majority of fighters did.

Nearly every step-up fight or out-of-town fight (those that weren’t “gimme” fights, that is) made by a New Mexican or El Paso prospect or contender resulted in a loss.

Las Vegas jr. welter Shawn Gallegos (16-3, 5 KOs) outboxed Carlos Madrid (now 8-2, 2 KOs) in May but was TKO’d in the 8th by former champ Randall Bailey (now 34-5, 31 KOs) when he took that fight on a couple week’s notice.

Albuquerque super bantam David Martinez (16-2-1, 3 KOs) won two tune-ups here at home but lost by TKO in the 8th when he stepped up to Bernard Dunne (22-0, 13 KOs) in Ireland in June.

El Paso bantam Alex Becerra (19-4, 9 KOs) stepped up to Raul Martinez (now 16-0, 12 KOs) in Las Vegas last June, but was KO’d in the first round. Two tune-ups for Becerra, one in March, the other in December, rounded out ’06.

El Paso flyweight Cesar “El Gallito” Lopez (20-3, 4 KOs) stepped up to Glenn Donaire (now 19-3-1, 9 KOs) on a Showtime card but lost by decision, losing his belt and top ten rating. Two local comeback fights resulting in wins followed for Lopez.

Durango jr. middle Elco Garcia (18-6, 8 KOs) lost both his fights of ’06, both televised step-up fights. In May, he was TKO’d in the 5th by Eric Regan (26-3, 17 KOs); and in September, former champ Raul Marquez (38-3, 27 KOs) KO’d him in the 7th.

Albuquerque light heavy Max Heyman (21-9-4, 13 KOs) also lost twice in step-up fights in ’06, by fourth round KO in March to Adrian Diaconu (now 23-0, 14 KOs), and to Rubin Williams (now 29-2, 16 KOs) in Vegas, by narrow decision.

Former title challenger at 135, now 140, Juan Lazcano (37-3-1, 27 KOs) of El Paso/Sacramento was an exception—well, sort of. Lazcano won both his fights in ’06: an impressive decision over Ben Tackie, Las Vegas, Nev., in February, and a lackluster performance against Manuel Garnica in October, that resulted in what many think is the worst case of a hometown decision ever to occur in El Paso.

Another minor exception was Socorro jr. middle-now-fighting-as-welter, Joaquin Zamora (12-2-1, 10 KOs), who was given two easy fights in New Mexico (TKO-2 over Julian Romero (7-50-2, 2 KOs) in July and TKO-4 over Brad Jensen (14-21-3, 5 KOs) in May), a tune-up Feb. in Vegas over Abdias Castillo (now 10-19-1, 7 KOs), but stepped up, and stopped, Cleiton Conceicao (now 10-2-2, 8 KOs) in April, also in Las Vegas, Nev.

Other hopefuls from the NM/EP area made minor progress:

Bloomfield welterweight Joe Gomez (9-1-1, 3 KOs) signed with Fresquez Productions, fought four times—winning three and drawing with Bobby Joe Valdez in December. Gomez showed increased improvement with each bout.

Albuquerque welter Ray Sanchez III (18-1, 14 KOs), who was inked with Top Rank in ’06, fought four times, against opponents who were hardly a threat.

Unbeaten El Paso heavyweight David “Nino” Rodriguez (23-0, 22 KOs) racked up three more TKO wins, but against no-name opposition.

Albuquerque welter Vicente “Picosito” Garcia (13-5, 9 KOs), who was shot and killed in October, was the state’s busiest fighter, fighting six times but only winning four. He was upset twice, by Roberto Valenzuela (38-28-2, 34 KOs) in July, and by Ramon Montano (now 10-3-2, 0 KOs) by four-round decision in Vegas last February.

Albuquerque welter “Hurricane” Hector Munoz (17-1, 11 KOs) won all four fights in 2006, making minor steps up in opposition. In San Antonio, Munoz won by split decision over hometown favorite Omar Davila (now 16-7, 6 KOs); in Sept., he TKO’d Steve Marquez (7-9-1, 6 KOs) in the third; and in December, TKO’d Jeremiah Torres (7-14, 1 KO) in the fourth) for a minor WBC belt that might as well have been mailed to him before the bout began.

Local favorite Lee Montoya (9-1, 7 KOs), cross-town welter rival to Sanchez III, fought but twice before disappearing: a decision win over Orlando Cantera (9-4-3) and repeat knockout of Jeremiah Torres.

Unbeaten Las Cruces jr. middle and former national amateur champ Austin “No Doubt” Trout (7-0, 7KOs) spent half the year in mothballs, after a lump on the back of his head kept the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspending him. After he was medically cleared, in August, Trout returned to action, finishing the year at 7-0, against, mainly, record-padding opposition.

Comebacks

Former two-time champ Danny Romero (45-5-2, 38 KOs) returned to the ring for his one and only fight in July, and as lightweight, stopping 142-pound opponent Edgar Pedraza (3-20-2, 1 KO) in four.  

Other locals returning to the ring included Albuquerque cruiser Mike Alderete (4-0, 3 KOs) who racked up two wins since his return in July; Albuquerque light heavy Jason Bray (6-0, 3 KOs), who beat up on self-beaten Joseph Brady in July; Espanola super flyweight Tony Valdez (6-3-2, 6 KOs), who was 1-1-2 in ’06; female super featherweight Jayla Ortiz (12-8-4, 3 KOs), who beat up on Leanne Villareal (now 1-10-1) for the third time, in May, then went MIA; and El Paso welter Bobby Joe Valdez (9-3-2, 4 KOs), who fought a draw with Joe Gomez in December.

Women’s Boxing

While no one came close to Holm’s success in ’06, other New Mexico females had a decent year:

Espanola jr. bantam Monica Lovato (8-1, 4 KOs) had a solid year, fighting four times and beating two contenders: Heather Percival (9-4, 1 KO) in California and Sharon Gaines (10-8, 3 KOs) twice, once by TKO, in Wash., and once by split decision, in Ignacio, Colo.

Strawweight Jodi Esquibel (4-1, 2 KOs) had a hard time finding foes, but finished the year 2-1 after losing a hometown decision to Melissa Shaffer in Tacoma, Wash. In May, Esquibel outpointed Shaffer in Albuquerque.

Other New Mexican fems weren’t so successful.

Jackie Chavez (9-2, 3 KOs) lost her second out-of-town fight in a row in January, losing by decision to Jeri Sitzes (12-6-1, 6 KOs) in Hollywood, Calf. While managing to keep her IFBA super bantamweight belt, Chavez spent the rest of the year in hiatus but is gearing up for a fresh start in ’07, with a new team.

Albuquerque jr. middleweight Victoria Cisneros (3-6-2) was unwon in ’06, losing four on the road, with one no-contest; Albuquerque super flyweight Tonia Cravens (2-5-1, 1 KO), New Mexico’s busiest female, dropped four in a row on the road, ending ’06 at 1-1-4; and Albuquerque’s Leanne Villareal (1-10-1, 1 KO) had it even worse, losing five straight in ’06.

Dozen shows in NM; four in El Paso

With a dozen fight cards in New Mexico, Fresquez Productions, now branching out to San Antonio with Gabriel Elizondo, put on five shows, four at Isleta. All four Isleta shows headlined Holly Holm, and all but one (due to a Lobos game) sold out.

Top Rank and newly-formed Romero Promotions each promoted two shows while Knuckle Up, Fire Inside and Double D each held a show.

El Paso got the bigger shows—three out of four were televised by either PPV or Showtime, and by bigger promoters. On the other hand, the border town still lacks a local, regular card.

“Pico” Time

The biggest blow to boxing in New Mexico had less to do with the success of MMA and decline of boxing, and more to do with the death of welterweight Vicente “Picosito” Garcia.

On Oct. 12, Garcia was shot and killed in what police called a gangland slaying. For a week following his death, the boxing community pulled together to celebrate Garcia’s memory and mourn his loss.

Garcia was being lined up for a showdown with Ray Sanchez III on a Top Rank card. The winner would’ve fought Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

With a record of 13-5, 9 KOs, Garcia was not only New Mexico’s busiest fighter, but seen by a majority as its most exciting boxer, who would take on anyone.

His presence, both in and out of the ring, will be sorely missed.

M.I.A. in ‘06

First and foremost, five-time world champ Johnny Tapia was nowhere to be found in 2006. Although he released an autobiography, his book tour was cut short and no public appearances were made in Albuquerque. The one or two last fights promised in 2005 also did not occur, leaving his New Mexico fans without closure to his incredible career.

Also out of sight was Frankie Archuleta, who hasn’t fought since Tapia defeated him in a rematch April 2005.

Several other local pugs who disappeared from the ring include: Tommy Aragon, Carlos Tapia, Miguel Torrecillas (due to an accident), and Bernardo Guereca.

M.M.A. in ‘06

While local boxing crowds continued to plummet (unless it was headlined by someone with the initials, “H.H.”), the number, and attendances, of MMA cards continued to rise in ’06.

By the end of the summer, MMA shows outnumbered boxing, 4-to-1. The number was too hard to estimate by the end of the year, however, for MMA shows, under close scrutiny of the New Mexico Athletic Commission, went underground. Presently, the local commission aims to regulate these shows—that almost exclusively use amateur fighters—in 2007.

NM pro MMA continues to thrive, however, with promoters like FIT/NHB, but the bigger waves being made by MMA are with several world class fighters making names for themselves outside the state.

Following after the success of Diego Sanchez and Keith Jardine, fighters from Greg Jackson’s Gaidojutsu remain the bulk of talent that includes Dan Christison (8-4) and Damacio Page (7-3). Contender Nathan Marquardt is also a transplant at Jackson’s.

FIT/NHB’s Carlos Condit (18-4) is also making waves, and is looking at an ’07 title shot at Pancrase. Condit rounds off ’06 with five wins, two losses—with one of those wins over highly-ranked Frank Trigg.