Albuquerque Journal du lieu suivant : Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 12

B2 Albuquerque Journal Wednesday, May 12, 2010 injuries, though he denied having struck her. Marquez also was charged with interfering with his attempt to call police, having taken away her cell phone. On Feb. 1, three days after having won his most recent fight, Sandia Pueblo Tribal police arrested Marquez after an altercation at Sandia Casino. According to a police report, Marquez put his right hand around his throat while shoving her into a corner of an elevator.

Sandia Tribal Police Officer Nicholas Begay said he viewed the incident on a surveillance camera. District Attorney spokesman Patrick Davis said the case was dismissed because tribal police failed to sub- mit the necessary reports. they submit the he said via e-mail, can review the case and re-file if Jacob Maes, manager, said the attorney was up a response. All I can say is (Marquez and his wife) have had some problems. two sides to every story, and the truth lies somewhere in Gary Shaw, promoter, said he would not prejudge his young client.

But, he said, the allegations are true, going to straighten out his life before I put him back in the Marquez is 10-0 as a professional boxer with seven knockouts. He and his wife have two young children. In a bad economy, recreational pursuits often are among the first things to be sacrificed. Last year, New Empire State Games the grandaddy of them all happen. returning this year, Hultberg said, thanks to a $500,000 gift from First Niagara Bank.

state games died a few years back, Hultberg said, but most, like New have carried on. lost he said. lost sponsors. So, we just have to work This is the 19th year as N.M. Games executive director for Hultberg, who has a full-time job with Parks Recreation Department.

also a member of the Mexico Sports Hall of Fame board and a devoted Lobo fan. was told (originally) that I was gonna do it for one he said. of a sudden, 19 years later, here I Last 20th games drew some 8,000 participants. In 1992, his first in charge, the number was about 1,000. Hultberg done this by himself and pretend that he has.

At opening ceremonies, he acknowledged several people who have been with the Games as long as he has or, in the case of board member Roger Knight, even longer. Without event commissioners such as Gina and Mark Chavez (archery), Ray Barrera (karate), Gary Mazaroff (racquetball), Toby Manzanares (indoor volleyball), Charlie Guess (beach volleyball) and Joaquin Chavez (weightlifting), Hultberg said, the Games would have died long ago. amazing how many of the same people had for 16, 17 he said. That goes, too, he said, for longtime sponsors like Screen Images and Ken Wilson Design. The City of Albuquerque and the New Mexico Sports Authority are on board, as well.

Competition begins with wrestling May 22 at Rio Grande High School. Basketball is scheduled for May 28-31 at Johnson Center and at area high schools. Other sports are spread throughout the summer, and even into the fall. For more information on the New Mexico Games, go to www.nmgames.com. Marquez Is Arrested On Domestic-Violence Charges from PAGE B1 Time for the 21st Annual N.M.

Games from PAGE B1 By Tristen Critchfield Journal Staff Writer If mixed martial arts is still in its infancy as a sport that is growing in popularity and acceptance, then safe to say that the version is still somewhere in its infancy. When the first MMA Series card debuts June 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel Casino Albuquerque, however, two female fighters will be center stage. Angelica Chavez, the local favorite fighting out of the South Chavez Dojo, will take on Jennifer Berg, who trains at Jackson-Winkeljohn affiliate Grudge MMA in Colorado. Just talking about it brought a smile to Julie face during a news conference for the MMA series at the Isleta Casino and Resort (soon to be Hard Rock Albuquerque). have a huge agenda when it comes to MMA and the pushing of female said Kedzie, who will be facing Malissa Sherwood from Sacramento, on the same card.

for me, a great honor to be on a card where the headlining fight is two female she said. Kedzie is as close as it gets to a pioneer in MMA. Her tussle against Gina Carano on Showtime in 2007 served as a launching point for the sport. That fight, along with a handful of others, opened eyes to the excitement of women in the cage. Hence the choice of main event for the first fight card solely promoted by Jackson- Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts.

know this matchup going to disappoint. Anybody who seen female fighting, figure out real fast why this is the main said Ricky Kottenstette, general manager of the gym. Finding fights at 105 pounds can be difficult, so Chavez and Berg are looking forward to the opportunity. extra excited to be headlining the Berg said. think really big for MMA and for the promotion in general as well.

I think both going to put on a great show for you While Berg has one professional fight on her Chavez is no stranger to headlining an MMA card she defeated Alyx Luck in the main event of the Duke City Fall Brawl in November. think that an amazing Chavez said. me and my opponent are going to be in good shape and ready to put on a good fight. So The rest of the main card is a showcase of lighter-weight fighters. In the co-main event, Matt Leyva (5-0) will take on Doug Moore (7-0), who trains at Gracie Arizona, in a 135-pound bout.

little guys, we try to make it a little more interesting. Sometimes a little faster, a little said Leyva. Anyone who saw the recent World Extreme Cagefight- ing pay-per-view (see Garcia, Leonard vs. Jung, Chan Sung) knows that the Albuquerque native speaks the truth. Ultimate Fighter candidate Isaac Vallie-Flagg (9-2) takes on Pueblo, native James Mead at 155 pounds.

going to go out there and do my best to make a highlight reel out of this Vallie-Flagg said. Ryan Webb meets Las Nate Patterson to round out the undercard. NOTE: MMA Series I will be streamed live on pay- per-view from jacksonsmma- series.com. Prices have not been determined. By Rick Wright Journal Staff Writer Tuesday, the menu consisted of pizza and plaudits.

A month from today, Johnny Tapia and Frankie Archuleta promise, both be eating leather and exchanging more punches than compliments. New Mexicans Tapia (57-5-2, 29 knockouts) and Archuleta (26-7-1, 14 KOs), who split two previous fights, will fight a rubber match June 12 at Ohkay Casino near At a news conference held Tuesday at new gym in northeast Albuquerque, event media coordinator Dennis Latta refused to allow the two fighters to do the traditional pose-down for photographers. Tapia and Archuleta had gone after each other at a news conference before their previous fight five years ago, he said, and he want to risk another incident. Latta have worried. At one point, Tapia picked up several pizzas and brought them to Archuleta the better to fatten up his opponent.

Both fighters laughed. knows me and Frankie are Tapia said. good friends, but both gonna go get a black eye and a paycheck (June Archuleta, who won the first fight between the two and lost the second, said it was to have another chance to fight a five-time world champion. a legend, and always awesome to get in there with somebody like he said. But, Archuleta said, be no friendship once the opening bell rings.

both want this he said. gonna be like a pit bull Tapia, 43, has fought once in the past three years, having knocked out Jorge Reyes at Ohkay Casino in March. Tapia has spent most of the past two years in prison on drug- related charges and remains in Bernalillo Community Custody Program. Archuleta, 34, has fought three times in that same time span twice losing by knockout. Both fighters, however, said neither age nor rust will show June 12.

Archuleta said he expects Tapia to be in better condition than he was in their last fight, in 2005. Archuleta expects to be in better shape, as well. think both gonna come in there at 100 he said, we both want this victory Ten bouts, all featuring at least one New Mexico fighter, are scheduled for the June 12 card. Middleweight Joaquin Zamora (18-2-1, 12 KOs), idle since June, is scheduled to fight a six-rounder. CISNEROS FIGHT Some five months ago, with an notice, Victoria Cisneros traded her high heels for boxing shoes a couple of sizes too small; her black dress for a borrowed singlet and boxing trunks; stuck another re-molded mouthpiece between her teeth; and, as an emergency replacement, went 10 spirited rounds in losing a decision to fellow Albuquer- quean Holly Holm.

Given that, German boxing promoter Wilfried Sauerland have been surprised that Cisneros would leap at the chance to fight his client Cecilia Braekhus (13-0) in Denmark on Saturday for three versions (WBC, WBA, WBO) of the welterweight world title. Yet, says Robert Padilla, manager, representatives expected some haggling over the fight purse, travel expenses, etc. There was none. For Cisneros, the opportunity is everything. is a world title going she says.

gonna bring it home for my country, for Albuquerque, for my barrio (San Jose). just what gonna Cisneros (5-8-1, one knockout) got this opportunity because promoter, Lenny Fresquez, passed it up. Sauerland offer enough money, Fresquez said, to justify having Holm fly across the Atlantic to fight for title belts in Herning, Denmark. Besides, Holm (27-1-3) has multiple title belts of her own. Sauerland then called Padilla regarding availability, because (despite her record) Cisneros is world-ranked and because, Padilla says, wanted an American.

immediately told them yes. The lady representative) was surprised, because they expected us to negotiate or say think about it or For Cisneros, hungry, ambitious and fearless, there was nothing to think about. Jet lag? In November 2006, Cisneros fought in New Zealand. Being That, to a great extent, explains her 5-8-1 record. vastly superior record and considerable boxing skills? Having performed well against Holm under difficult circumstances, and now fighting with adequate preparation time, the 25-year-old Albuquerquean seems unfazed.

always fought tough she says. is just another fight for me, another war I have to go through. gonna leave a little extra room in my suitcase so I can bring those (title) belts back, because what planning on Fresh Faces at Center Cage Tapia, Archuleta Vow To Let It Rip Jackson MMA Series To Open Cisneros Jumps At Chance for Titles MIXED MARTIAL ARTS BOXING DEAN At news conference to promote their bout, Johnny Tapia drops off pizzas to Frankie Archuleta to help fatten him. June 5 MMA Series Hard Rock Hotel Casino Albuquerque, 7 p.m. Tickets: at jacksonsmmaseries.com or casino box office COURTESY JACKSONSMMASERIES.COM Jennifer Berg, left, and Angelica Chavez are excited to be the headliners for the first Jackson MMA Series card June 5.

Since1989 Since Pitre Bestselection inthestate 9737EagleRanchRd.NW•Albuquerque,NM AcrossfromCottonwoodMall(OntheWestSide) www.pitrenm.com- 898-1333 SeHablaEspanol 2010sierra and2010Yukon instockfor InvoIce PlUsUPto 5,000 reBate.