Apr. 6—The pro boxing card scheduled for Saturday at the Pit has lost its main event, a match between MMA fighters Rashad Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, due to what both men described on Instagram posts as a failure on the part of promotional firm Signature Punch to meet contractual obligations.
"I don't have confidence in (Signature Punch's) abilities to promote this fight," Jackson said.
Jody Lewis, the wife and business partner of Signature Punch promoter Gary Lewis, said the organization will have an official comment on Monday.
Signature Punch on Friday had posted an announcement that Jackson was off the card for contractual reasons but was seeking a new opponent for Evans. But Evans' post the same day appeared to end that possibility.
"Unfortunately, the pro boxing show between me and Rampage Jackson scheduled for April 12 at the Pit will not be taking place with us (he and Jackson) involved," he said. "This decision was something we did not want to make and we knew how much the fans were looking forward to it as well.
"But we encountered some unexpected, some challenges with the promotion and certain key obligations were not met as planned."
As of Sunday, there was no indication that any of the other 12 bouts scheduled on the card had fallen through. The card is heavily populated with New Mexico-connected boxers: welterweight Josh Torres, junior middleweight Brian Mendoza, super flyweight Matt Griego-Ortega and Johnny Tapia Jr. and Nicco Tapia, sons of the late five-time world champion.
Also scheduled are Fernando Vargas Jr., Shane Mosley Jr., and Tim Witherspoon Jr. all sons of former world champions and successful pros in their own right.
The University of New Mexico athletics department is handling ticket sales for the event. UNM athletics' official policy is that no refunds will be issued unless an entire event is canceled.
Signature Punch, new to New Mexico, held a news conference at the Pit on Feb. 20, with Evans, Jackson — each traveling to Albuquerque for the occasion —Torres and the Tapia brothers in attendance.
Another news conference was staged in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Evans, Jackson, Mendoza (a Cleveland High School graduate who lives in Vegas), Griego-Ortega, Mosley Jr. and Vargas Jr. in attendance.
Ticket sales, based on the grid available at golobos.com, have been relatively slow. Tickets are priced in gradients of $63, $89, $141, $270, $520, $770 and $1,020.
Tickets went on sale March 10, a month after tickets for a Legacy Promotions boxing card, scheduled for April 19, became available. Tickets for the eight-bout April 19 card, featuring unbeaten Albuquerque flyweight Abraham Perez and the return of Albuquerque lightweight Fidel Maldonado Jr., are scaled at $45, $55, and $85.
