Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff photo: Kevin Wilson Elijio Sena, left, and Rico Urquizo spar during a workout Wednesday night at Force of One in Clovis. The two are part of a 10-card fight Saturday at the Lea County Event Center in Hobbs.
A longtime Clovis boxer is making his pro debut, while another is hoping to make a statement.
Elijio “Sinner” Sena and Rico “Showtyme” Urquizo are part of a 10-card event on Saturday at the Lea County Event Center in Hobbs, with Gerardo Quintana taking on Robert Sanders in the headline matchup.
The 33-year-old Urquizo, 1-4-1 with his win by knockout, is taking on Curtis “Beast Mode” Waller of El Paso in a 155-pound battle.
link Staff photo: Kevin Wilson
Elijio Sena, left, and Rico Urquizo spar during a workout Wednesday night at Force of One in Clovis. The two are part of a 10-card fight Saturday at the Lea County Event Center in Hobbs.
Sena, 36, is making his pro debut after many years in Golden Gloves competition. He faces Los Lunas’ Manuel Eastman in a heavyweight fight. Sena will be fighting at 239 pounds.
“I don’t think there’s much of a transition,” Sena said. “I’ll be fighting with 10-ounce gloves instead of 12, and no head gear. That’s the only transition I can think of.”
Both fighters are confident, with Sena believing he has good hand speed and footwork to make the transition to pro boxing. He hasn’t seen video on Eastman (2-3-1, one win by knockout) and doesn’t plan on it.
“If you watch a guy on video, he’s not going to fight you the same way he’d fight another boxer,” Sena said. “The point of the sport is not to get hit, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
Urquizo, meanwhile, figures Waller will provide some challenge.
“He’s a southpaw, and it will be my first time fighting against a southpaw. Other that that, there’s nothing else (I would prepare for differently).”
Waller nearly got his first win in September in El Paso, but managed a draw against Erik Torres.
Urquizo can relate, as he doesn’t consider himself a fan of a judge’s decision. He believes that of his four losses, three came because a hometown fighter got the nod.
“This is a statement fight for me,” Urquizo said. “I’m not leaving it up to the judges. One of us is going to get knocked out. I don’t think it’s going to be me.”
