 "Photo: File Photo")
It's not every day the sport of boxing graces its presence on the campus of Texas. For that matter, it's not every day the sport provides a taste of quality to the state of Texas.
So when it comes, it's best you take advantage of the opportunity.
Which brings us to this Saturday's Fight Night at the Frank Erwin Center.
The card will be highlighted by Esteban Almaraz's (7-0, 4 KOs) six-round bout against Javier Martinez (4-2). Martinez is relatively unknown, but Almaraz has been growing a steady following, drawing a passionate crowd during a recent bout at the Crockett Event Center of all places.
That buzz earned him a spot on ESPN's Friday Night Fights last May in Lincoln, RI. Instead of a chance to earn some national spotlight, however, it turned into a mild controversy. Despite knocking down his opponent Henry Lundy (11-0-1, 6 KOs) twice, Almaraz still somehow managed to lose the four-round fight by unanimous decision. It was Almaraz's first fight outside of Texas while Lundy had been a mainstay in the New England area.
How Almaraz will respond to having his then-undefeated record taken from him by a questionable decision in foreign territory should be the storyline for Saturday's fight. But the Harlingen native already answered that while posing another question in the process.
Almaraz decisively defeated Ramon Duran in Fort Worth with an eight-round unanimous decision, proving the Texas air was enough to help him forget the Lundy fight.
The only problem is the Duran fight was June 13, a week ago, meaning Saturday's fight will be the third in a month's span for Almaraz. If Martinez takes him the full six rounds, it will be 18 rounds in over a month for Almaraz.
Quite the pre-fight storyline. Add that to his strong local following and the Erwin Center just might find the hype factor they need to sell boxing in a football city.
It worked once for the Erwin Center. In their November bout between Randy Gatica and Gilbert Vera, the local buzz of both the Austin natives and Vera's recently earned Texas State Light Welterweight Title combined to put a unique energy in the center, an energy seldom seen amongst the reserved fans usually found at campus sporting events.
The fight lived up to its billing, providing the fans with a bloody powerpunch slugfest that had both fighters landing and absorbing deadly blows.
(Add another controversial decision from the judges and the night was perfect in terms of entertainment).
Will Almaraz-Martinez match the success of Gatica-Vera? Tough to say. The bar has been set pretty high.
But considering the rarity of quality boxing events in the city, if Austinites are smart, they'll take advantage of the opportunity.
