Many Have Tried To Compete Only To Come Up Short

By Andy Rivera

Back in 2000, I first interviewed Albuquerque promoter Lenny Fresquez of Fresquez Productions at his office, I had only been covering boxing for about a year and had always heard how Fresquez didn’t care for the fighters. The word going around was that he paid them almost nothing to fight, that no major fighters in New Mexico would ever fight for him and there was plenty more going around Even I was starting to believe the talk, but in time and getting to know the business side of boxing, most fans or detractors don’t realize what really goes on behind the scenes in putting on a fight card. After all is said and done, Fresquez Productions is still the leader in the Southwest region of the United States, but with Golden Boy Promotions putting on more and more cards in El Paso, he may have some competition. On the other hand, Fresquez has shown time and time again that he may remain on top.

Fresquez Productions first started promoting fights back in 1993, showcasing former world champion Danny Romero Jr. while Romero was up and coming. Along with his son Leonard Fresquez, who has since left to California back in 2002 to run a clothing line, Fresquez has had close to 75 fight cards in New Mexico and even venturing to Texas recently.

While learning about boxing the business side having been the events coordinator for KOX Productions here in New Mexico, I became appreciative of Fresquez and what he has accomplished. Each time I hear someone knock him either on the internet, locally or in person, I say to myself "you have no idea what you are talking about." People always hear about fighters making millions and millions of dollars and freak out when they hear what local fighters make. I remember back in 1999, I heard that Fresquez would pay the locals 100.00 a round, I thought it was crazy to get 400.00 for a four round fight when you hear what the De La Hoya and Tyson make. "What a rip off!" I would say to myself and everyone around. I would also see the same fighters; fighting each other all the time. In time I would learn why and how these fights would take place.

Fresquez will have another fight card this coming Friday at Isleta Casino and it will be televised by Telefutura, featuring two Albuquerque fighters on the co-main events, welterweight Lee Montoya and Bantamweight David Martinez. Both may not have received this opportunity to showcase their talents and be seen on T.V. if it wasn’t for Fresquez. "I’m glad that I can get Lee and David this opportunity to fight on T.V. this week, I had to politic to get Lee to be in a main event with only eight fights, but I got it done." says Fresquez, "Hopefully this will lead to bigger things for both of them."

Working with KOX, who has put on seven fight cards in New Mexico since 2002, showed me what really goes on in the fight game on a local level. Head of KOX, Eric Holmes has one thing to say to all the people that bash Fresquez. "Love him or hate him, he is the strongest force in New Mexico and the entire Southwest region, people always criticize the man but he has given more fighters here in New Mexico a chance to get to the next level." States Holmes, "Frankie Archuleta is a prime example of what Lenny can do, here is a guy that Lenny has got numerous chances to make it to the next level, getting him fights with Kevin Kelly, Rocky Juarez and Emanuel Lucero on Showtime, a lot of people said Lenny is going to get Frankie hurt fighting those guys, but there comes a time when a fighter has to see if he has it or not, but without Lenny, Frankie would have never got the opportunity, it’s a business and people don’t realize that unless they do it themselves."

Many have tried the promoting game here in New Mexico, roughly 6-10 promotional companies have put on cards here recently, but all have found out the hard way, it’s no walk in the park to put on a card. Even one Casino tried to go head to head with Fresquez back in 2002. Then Santa Ana Casino Events coordinator Mark Russo tried to have people handing out fliers at the Isleta Casino where Fresquez was having a card the night before, telling the fans to bring their ticket and get 5.00 off on the Santa Ana card. It worked temporarily as Santa Ana had great crowds with then house fighter Ray Sanchez III. In time Santa Ana had financial problems and boxing was shut down until it returned in 2004, having put on three fight cards but nothing since.

People don’t realize what it takes to put on a card says KOX ‘s Holmes, "You have to pay insurance, commission, doctors, get the ring, advertising, travel for the fighters, hotels, security, meals for fighters and their team, ticket printing, all this before even paying the fighter’s purse. Then if you have a fighter pullout at the last minute you end up having to pay more money to find someone to come down here on short notice to fight. Another problem is that people don’t know the business, you have the wannabe managers, the fathers, mothers, the boyfriends, girlfriends, the people that know nothing about boxing that think their fighter showed get more money then they deserve. Lenny has it down to a science on how to get it done".

Paying the fighters has always been an topic here in New Mexico. Most complain about getting 100.00-150.00 a round, but having seen what it takes to put on a card that seems to be the average here for small club fights. With the four cards where I have been the events coordinator, we had a budget of $23,000-$25,000 to work with and that was for everything. You would have to get 1000 fans in the seats at an average ticket price of 25.00 just to break even, you may get some sponsorship, but that usually helps cut the cost on the smaller things like posters, ticket printing, some advertising, or you may get a discount on meals or hotel costs, but nothing major.

As the old say goes, "If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say that I would be rich". It’s true when I hear how many fighters in New Mexico have said they would never fight for Fresquez, but they all have come to fight for him at one time or another, Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero Jr. to name a few have said they wouldn’t fight for Fresquez, but they still ended up fighting for him. According to Fresquez they get wrong advice. "I think they listen to other people when they say they won’t fight for me, but I think I have a proven track record on what I can do here with fighters." Almost every professional fighter with the exception of Joaquin Zamora and Vicente Garcia have fought for a Fresquez Promoted card, yes even prospect Ray Sanchez III, who has had run ins with Fresquez, has fought under Fresquez, Sanchez III fought his pro debut on a Fresquez Promoted card.

In a time where boxing in New Mexico is looking for it’s next champion, it could be a while before the next superstar comes along, it usually happens every ten years. In the 70’s we had former Light heavyweight champion Bob Foster, in the 80’s we had ESPN favorite Tommy Cordova and along with Las Cruces contender Louie Burke who battled the likes of famed trainer Freddy Roach and Hector Camacho. The 90’s brought us Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero Jr., what will this decade bring us. Fresquez hopes that within the next year, someone will get to the next level. "I hope that some of the fighters in our stable can go to the next level by next year, I have big hopes for Alex Becerra and Caesar Lopez both from El Paso, but have had most of their fights here in Albuquerque. David Martinez and of course Lee Montoya. I have big plans for Cuauhtemoc Vargas, he’s not from New Mexico, but he is in our stable of fighters."

Fresquez feels there are two New Mexico fighters for the fans to look forward to in the future. "Mathew Esquibel and Austin Trout are New Mexico’s next group that could do something in the pros, but only time will tell. Only a few make it to the next level and there comes a time when we find out who are contenders or pretenders." Said Fresquez

Fresquez has done pretty good working with fighters outside of New Mexico, most recently he worked with former WBO bantamweight champion Cruz Carbajal (while he was champion), heavyweight Tyrus Sykes (who was halted in the second round of his bout earlier this month against Samuel Peter), Miguel Torrecillas (fought last week on ESPN although losing to Lamont Peterson) and Fresquez most recently put on Johnny Tapia’s last two fights. He has been negotiating to put on Tapia vs. IBF bantamweight champion Israel Vasquez, but the two have since parted when negotiations fell through. Tapia and Vasquez were to fight on ESPN this Friday at The Pit in Albuquerque, fighting with another promoter, but that fell through as well. Coincidentally the Tapia card was to go head to head with Fresquez’s Isleta card.

What makes you keep going? I asked Fresquez, "I guess the passion." as Fresquez laughs. "It has to be, what else can it be, I’m use to all the b.s. in the fight game, its more of a hobby." Says Fresquez, whose main business is restaurants, having several around Albuquerque plus owning a few in Las Vegas, Nevada. "We usually have between 8-10 cards a year, but we will start scaling down to 5-6 a year." For boxing being a hobby for Fresquez, he has done pretty well for himself. Hopefully he can bring New Mexico it’s next champion, if not he will continue to keep boxing in New Mexico alive.