AZTEC – Snapping of leather comparable to the sound of gunshots reverberate off the drywall that is slathered along the walls of garage. Classic rock music from the 1980s pours out of the radio and fills the room, creating a spirited atmosphere.
The receipt of drudgery lays on the floor in the form of sweat. But the thing that draws the most attention in the converted gym is the focus of professional boxer Joe Martinez.
Martinez will headline Farmington’s first professional boxing card since 1985 when he squares off against Jeremy Ramos of Colorado Springs for eight rounds of super middleweight action.
The card features eight matches with six fighters from Aztec, Bloomfield, Kirtland and Farmington. The card also features El Paso native Jorge Tovar, who will put his undefeated record to a test when he takes on Elijah Sweat of Las Cruces.
The fights, which are promoted by the School of Hard Knocks, begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at McGee Park Coliseum.
Martinez carries a 23-8-1 professional record and jumps back into the ring five years removed from his last fight in 2019 when he defeated Arturo Crespin via knockout.
“I’ve been fighting in the main events in Ignacio (Colorado) for a very long time, and I’ve been wanting to bring a fight here in Farmington and we’re finally getting here after 39 years,” Martinez said.
Born in Farmington and fighting out of Aztec, Martinez made his professional debut in 2004 when he defeated Phil Gurule by knockout, the first of 11 knockouts Martinez collected in his decorated career.
Martinez has achieved marks such as becoming a National Golden Gloves champion, a junior Olympic champion, a Gene Lewis National Champion and earning the title of Gene Lewis outstanding fighter.
The prized achievement of Martinez’s career came in 2005 when he defeated Vicente Garcia, winning the WBC Mundo Hispano Welterweight World Title. In that fight, Martinez broke his jaw in the first round and continued to battle for nine rounds to earn the victory by scoring decision. The fight gained so much traction that it was named the fight of the year in New Mexico.
Nicknamed “Ironman” by his youth church group, Martinez embodies every letter of that term.
In 2006 and 2007, Martinez broke his hand in both bouts but continued to push through the pain to win both matches.
“Boxing is one of those sports where you can’t rely on somebody else to come in and help you out,” Martinez said.
The preparation to endure eight rounds of punches to various areas of the body requires a precise and dedicated training regimen.
“We usually start training camp two months out because we have a certain method of peaking at a certain time,” Martinez said. “Increasing the weight of the gloves and increasing rounds to make sure you are in tip-top shape. Boxing every single night, hitting the track, hitting the hills. It’s crazy because it really is like a full-time job.”
As painful as it might be to watch a loved one take a few jabs and uppercuts as a profession, Joe’s wife, Erika Martinez, understands that she has an important role in her husband’s corner.
“At the beginning, it was little tough to get used to because I didn’t like to see him getting hit. But as the years went by, you kind get used to it, and I am at that point that I get really pumped up for him and do anything that I can to support him,” she said.
Because of pop culture icon Rocky Balboa, the general population thinks of boxing in the form of Adrian and Rocky from the popular film series. Important to Rocky (played by Sylvester Stallone), was his wife Adrian (played by Talia Shire). The same could be said about Erika, who has been with Joe since 2010 and handles all the background noise for her husband.
“Taking care of the kids, making any runs for food or ice for his ice baths and of course the meals because they are always important to him,” she said. “I make sure that he is focused and has no distractions and being the behind-the-scenes lady.”
Training is a crucial part of any boxing routine, but none could ever compare to the reason or purpose that gets a fighter to take that walk up those stairs and into the ring.
Over the course of 20 years, Martinez has come to understand that his drive and determination in the ring comes from external forces.
“In the beginning I had always done it for myself, but now I have a family, and I do it for them too,” he said. “I train my butt off because I want to show them that through hard work there is victory.”
The opponent in the red corner across from Martinez features a 12-15 record, including four knockouts. Although the fight will take place in front of a home crowd, Martinez’s focus remains the same.
“I am taking this like any other fight, taking it extremely serious,” Martinez said. “The guy I’m fighting is a very serious contender, so it’s exciting to bring boxing back after 39 years, but it’s not distracting from the mission.”
No matter the outcome, Erika Martinez is sure of one thing.
“I have never met anybody that works as hard as (Joe) has, and I have been around sports all my life,” she said. “His work ethic is ridiculous and motivating, and you will never meet anybody that works as hard as he does.”
To purchase event tickets, call 505-436-9473. General admission prices are $35 each, and ringside seats are $75 each.
