(Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)
Husband, father, homeowner, barber, professional boxer, and boxing trainer, Josh Torres is a busy man every month.
February 2023 may be our busiest time yet.
On Saturday, Torres (24-7-2, 14 KOs) will face Louisiana veteran Todd Manuel (21-21-1, 7 KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout at the Rebel Entertainment Center. .
That same night, his protégé, Albuquerque lightweight Maximus Moya (2-0, 2 KOs) is scheduled to take on Fruitland’s Jazzma Hoag (4-10-1, no KOs).
Just 20 days later, Torres has a rematch with Michigan’s Reggie Harris Jr. (7-2, 3 KOs) at the Rio Rancho Event Center. Torres he defeated Harris by unanimous decision on June 17 at Paradise Hills.
Meanwhile, on February 17, Torres will serve as lead trainer for Albuquerque MMA legends in a corner for Diego Sanchez when Sanchez faces Las Cruces world champion boxer Austin Trout on the BKFC (bare knuckles) card at the Tingley Coliseum. . Both are bare knuckle debuts.
A month’s work in all, right? Torres said in a phone interview this week that he’s not at all shaken by the hectic workload in February.
For a 20-day scheduled bout, the fastest turnaround since he fought four rounds 13 days apart in 2008, Torres believed his conditioning and skill could pass Manuel unharmed. I’m here.
“I think six rounds should be easy,” he said.
“Then I’ll be back in the gym right away on Monday and ready to go back to work on the 24th.”
But wait. There will be his 17th where Sanchez will bare-knuckle his card against Trout in an engaging MMA fighter vs. boxer matchup.
Torres began working with Sanchez after a mutual friend, fitness trainer Joseph Mullings, contacted the two. Torres has sparred with Trout numerous times over the years and is well aware of his former world boxing champion’s style.
Nor is this Torres’ first rodeo as a bare-knuckle trainer. He was in Josh Moreno’s corner when Moreno defeated Zion Tomlinson Jr. by second-round TKO in BKFC’s New Mexico debut at the Rio Rancho Event Center on August 27.
“I’ve been into bare knuckles for a while now,” Torres said.
Does that mean he’s planning to go gloveless, like Trout is?
“Not so soon,” he said. “I think it’s pretty brutal and I think it’s something you have to do towards the end of your career.”
Torres, 33, has yet to envision the end of his boxing career.
He said training a young fighter like Moya helps keep him motivated.
“It’s all been a great experience and it comes full circle and makes me a better fighter,” he said.
“When you are training for a fight, you can almost hear yourself training your men. It’s also useful as a fighter.”
Catch-up: Three Albuquerque boxers to watch were the winners of Code of Champions 4, the New Mexico vs. Colorado amateur card at FIT-NHB last Saturday.
Leroy Clarke, former United States Boxing and Golden Gloves State Heavyweight Champion, defeated Paulo Solis by unanimous decision.
Featherweight Yoruba Moreu Jr. is the younger brother of longtime amateur standout Sharaya Moreu, who surpassed Oscar Pogline.
And Nikko Tapia, son of the late Albuquerque legendary boxer Johnny Tapia, defeated Raul Martinez by TKO.
… On January 20, Rio Rancho MMA fighter Amanda Lovato defeated Madalyn Meacham in first round submission (rear naked choke) on the Fierce FC Card in West Valley City, Utah. Lovato, who trains at FIT-NHB, is 3-7. Meacham of Ogden, Utah, is 0-2.