Combat sports: Borg signs with Bellator
Feb. 22—Albuquerque MMA fighter Ray Borg has signed a contract with Bellator, the sport's second-largest promotional company in the United States and among the most influential in the world.
Bellator made the announcement on Wednesday.
Borg, 29, a former UFC contract fighter who in 2017 challenged then-champion Demetrious Johnson for that organization's flyweight title, brings a record of 16-5 to the Bellator ranks.
He was dropped by the UFC in 2019 after several failures to make weight. Borg is 3-0 since then, having won once on the UAE Warriors circuit and twice on Eagle FC.
BOXING DAY: The weigh-in for Friday's Tapia Promotions boxing card at the Rio Rancho Events Center will be held on Thursday at the New Mexico State Capitol as part of a "Boxing Day" event at the Roundhouse.
The weigh-ins, scheduled for 12:30 p.m., are scheduled to preceded by a series of proclamations and the presentation to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of a World Boxing Council title belt.
The WBC will be represented by Andres Sulaiman, the newphew of WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.
The event was arranged by State Representative Art De La Cruz, a former member of the New Mexico Athletic Commission, and by NMAC Chairman Joe Chavez.
Tickets ($35-$105) for Friday's card, featuring Albuquerque boxers Josh Torres, Lorenzo Benavidez, Jordan Gregory, Jordanne Garcia and brothers Jason and Jose Luis Sanchez, are available at ticketmaster.com.
WEIGHING IN: In Indio, California, Bosque Farms boxer Katherine Lindenmuth (2-1) weighed in at 102.2 pounds on Wednesday for Thursday's six-round strawweight bout against Los Angeles' Lorraine Villalobos (5-4, two KOs). Villalobos weighed in at 103 pounds.
The bout is part of a Golden Boy Promotions card to be streamed (according to goldenboypromotions.com) on DAZN, a subscription service, from Fantasy Springs Casino. The card is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. MT.
UPCOMING: Albuquerque's Legacy Promotions is planning its first boxing card of the year on April 8 at the Embassy Suites, with unbeaten Albuquerque flyweight Abraham Perez (6-0, two KOs) in the main event.
Perez is matched against Tanzania's Mchanga Yohana (14-4, 11 KOs) in an intriguing main event with the vacant WBC Youth flyweight title at stake.
Yohana likely qualifies as Perez's most dangerous opponent to date, though this will be the Tanzanian's U.S. debut.
Seven other bouts are scheduled.
Tickets ($40-$60) are available by calling 505-269-9387.
