(JUNE 21) On Friday night at the Route 66 Casino Hotel, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in front of a completely packed house of 3,000 boxing fans, in the mainliner, Holly Holm won a 10-round decision over Anne Sophie Mathis, winning the WBAN, IBA, and WBF Welterweight world titles. The final judges’ scores were 96-94, 99-91, and 97-93. The crowd roared when the decision was read that Holm had won the bout.
Before this fight took place, WBAN ran a poll on who the boxing fans thought would win this rematch. An over-whelming majority (68%) of those voting at the time voted that Mathis would TKO’d or KO’d Holm again in this second fight.
There were some factors though that I and others that I spoke to who were ringside observed in this second fight. In their first bout, Mathis had come up fairly early to New Mexico to acclimate to the elevation level. In this second fight—Mathis was in New Mexico for a much shorter time.
In the post fight conference, Mathis was asked by the media, if she thought she should come into New Mexico sooner to get use to the elevation. Through her interpreter, she said that it would not be something she could do because she works a regular job in France, etc.
A second factor that can change anyone’s game plan in the size of the ring. In their first fight, the ring was 18’. With a big puncher like Mathis, this is ideal for her fighting style. In the rematch, the ring was 22’.
Again though…when the media asked Mathis about if that played a factor in the outcome of the fight, I did not hear her say that it did.
It was also asked at the post fight conference, if there was any specified ring size in the contract for the Holm-Mathis fight—there was none.
Thirdly, I personally wonder if Mathis believed that Holly Holm would make the same mistakes she made in their first fight, and could have under-estimated Holm in coming in with a different game plan this time around…? Only Mathis can answer that…
Now that these two are 1-1, if there is a possibility of a trilogy, I would like to see it take place in France. It is only fair at this point. Mathis has traveled a long distance to fight Holm twice in New Mexico, let’s make the third fight in France.
Is there a possibility of a Trilogy?
In the post fight press conference, Holly’s promoter, Lenny Fresquez said he had no problem with going to France with Holm, but the purse has to be right.
Other bouts on the card….
One of the most entertaining fights of the night came from the men’s bouts. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Raymond “Hollywood” Montes, who was both funny and goofy at times but that is what made him enjoyable to watch! Hollywood won by a first round KO of Jaime Gutierrez 1:37 seconds of that round.
Hollywood entertaining the crowd when first coming into the ring
Jaime is KO’d in first round after ref reaches 10 count
Another noted fight that was action-packed and entertaining was the first bout of the evening, Jose Sanchez vs. Guy Youell, who were both making their pro debuts. Youell, truly displayed “raw talent” even though it was obvious from the outset that he leaned more toward his skills as a MMA fighter than boxer. Youell came into this fight without ever fighting as an amateur boxer, and with that said he displayed speed, strength and raw talent as a fighter in general..
Youell almost prevailed in this fight when his opponent, Sanchez went down to the Canvas in the first round and took an eight count. But, as the fight wore on, Sanchez’s boxing skills left Youell vulnerable at times, and the fight was eventually stopped in the fourth round.
First round Jose Sanchez goes down to the canvas
Youell gets stopped in the fourth round
Just after the fight, Sanchez with his team
The second bout of the night— I could have lived without ever seeing. It was probably “the bloodiest” fight I have ever witnessed. This particular fight was between John Herrera vs. Bryan Garcia. Herrera won by a four-round unanimous decision.
John Herrea vs. Bryan Garcia
In other results: Albuquerque’s Cristian Cabral stopped Victor Silva by TKO at 1:27 of the fourth round; Gene Perez won by a four-round unanimous decision over Eric Gonzales.
Published on WBAN. We cover women’s boxing and men’s boxing.