FIT NHB’s Battlegrounds I took place on Friday, September 2, 2011. Although FIT formerly had Friday Night Fights, it has been revised and renamed, due to new management. Battlegrounds’ mission is to bring together amateur boxers and kick boxers from around Central New Mexico, giving them the opportunity to test their mettle, their heart and their newly learned skills. As well as a name change, the award for “Fighter of the Night” was added; the winner for each receives gloves and headgear.
Battlegrounds I featured two exhibition matches: KOTC/FITNHB’s Charles Bennett facing FIT’s Joseph Blake, and KOTC/FITNHB’s William Albrecht facing San Jose Boxing’s Tim Green. Following those exhibitions were 7 amateur boxing and kickboxing matches, with fighters from FIT NHB, Bad Boys, J5 MMA, Fighter’s Club, Los Vatos, Perez Fighting Systems and some independents.
One of the highlights of the night was a young FIT KIDZ fighter named Hondo Gutierrez. Gutierrez was involved in a terrible accident involving a bullet wound to his abdomen, back in January of this year. The match on Saturday was his first time back in the ring, and he faced Bad Boys’ Jonathon Hernandez. Gutierrez showed incredible heart, as well as skill and stamina, and he won that match by majority decision.
The other amateur fights were as follows:
Troy Mitchell (J5 MMA) def. Victor Hawley (FIT NHB) by TKO at :44 of R2.
Taina Colon (FIT NHB) def. Alexis Dallman (Mario Montoya) by majority decision.
Gabriel Ybarra(Bad Boys) def. Sean Lucero (Fighters’ Club) by unanimous decision.
Sean Lucero, however, won “FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT.”
Brent James (J5 MMA) def. Abraham Garcia (Los Vatos) by majority decision.
Braulio Trejo (FIT NHB) def. Deandre Mirabel (J5 MMA) by TKO at 1:32 R1
Sergio Gutierrez (FIT NHB) def. Jose Rios (Perez Fighting Systems) by TKO at 1:10 R2
Article by Trula Howe
photo by Will Fox
