Holm, Fresquez, Winkeljohn on dizzying roll

There was no news conference. If there was even an announcement, it got little notice.

But look what’s happened since.

In the spring of 2004, with the approval of manager Mike Winkeljohn, promoter Lenny Fresquez quietly signed 22-year-old boxer Holly Holm to a contract. Today, some 7 1/2 years later, Holm, Winkeljohn and Fresquez are still a team – an amazingly successful one.

On Dec. 2 at Route 66 Casino, Holm (30-1-3, nine knockouts) will face power-punching Frenchwoman Anne-Sophie Mathis (25-1, 21 KOs).

Two versions of the women’s world welterweight title will be at stake. But in the minds of many observers, this is about pound-for-pound supremacy.

“It’s been nothing but a great relationship for all three of us,” Holm says of the personal, professional and contractual ties that have brought her to this point.

It’s beyond ironic, looking back, that Holm’s only professional boxing defeat was her first fight under the Fresquez Productions banner. On June 27 of ’04, a deep cut under her left eye resulted in a loss by fourth-round TKO to Rita Turrisi.

The loss was a fluke, the cut caused by a flying elbow that the referee didn’t see.

“(Holm) was very upset about it,” Fresquez remembers. “She’d worked real hard, and that was disappointing to us all.”

Holm hadn’t lost since, winning 22 of 23 with one draw. She has won myriad title belts and become, arguably, the biggest name in the women’s sport worldwide.

In Albuquerque, Holm has drawn sellout or near-sellout crowds at several venues. Now 30, she has become one of the city’s best-known and most popular athletes.

The story began when Holm, having graduated from Manzano High School, wandered into Winkeljohn’s martial-arts school looking for a way to stay in shape.

But a new and highly readable chapter in the story began when Lenny met Holly.

Fresquez, an Albuquerque businessman, first got involved in boxing when he agreed to promote a Danny Romero card at Tingley Coliseum in August 1994. Bitten by the bug, he signed several fighters and promoted regularly during the next decade.

Holm, it turns out, fought her second professional bout on a Fresquez-promoted show at Sky City Casino – a first-round TKO of Terrie Carrillo – in June 2002.

Fresquez, though, barely noticed Holm at the time. Frankie Archuleta, who fought the main event that night, was his fighter.

Instead, he says, two action-packed Holm fights he never even saw – a victory and a draw against fellow Albuquerquean Stephanie Jaramillo in 2003 – are what piqued his interest.

“People who’d gone to those two fights told me she was a really exciting fighter and had generated some electricity,” Fresquez says. “To me, that’s always been the biggest thing in feeling like my show’s been successful or not.”

The first time he’d experienced that feeling himself, he says, was as a spectator at a Johnny Tapia fight in October 2004.

“I felt the electricity,” he says. “Wow. That’s something that’s not easy to duplicate.”

Holm, he thought, just might be able to generate that kind of buzz. He called Winkeljohn, who admits having had some reservations at the time.

“I’d always heard these negative things about Lenny Fresquez,” Winkeljohn says. “… I know now that was just people that were disgruntled, that saw someone else’s success and would put him down to make themselves feel better.”

Holm had heard those things, too. But after listening to Winkeljohn, who had listened to Fresquez, she signed the contract.

Each party to the arrangement, from his or her viewpoint, sees nothing in the rearview mirror but success and harmony.

“It’s been a pleasure,” Winkeljohn says. “We would not be where we’re at without Lenny Fresquez.”.

Holm says the relationship is built on mutual respect.

“No one feels like they’re being taken advantage of,” she says. “We all feel like we’re doing this together. That’s what makes it a smooth road.”

Holm is the only fighter Fresquez has promoted in recent years. He won’t say he’ll never sign another one, but values the mutual trust he enjoys with Holm and Winkeljohn.

“It’s a dream team to deal with,” Fresquez says. “… It’s been good for everybody.”

The most important bout in her career thus far, Holm has said, was her victory over Christy Martin in September 2005.

Not many people believed Holm could defeat a women’s boxing legend. Fresquez did, and, with Winkeljohn’s approval, made the fight happen.

Holm won, and did so easily.

“Lenny had faith in me,” Holm says, “just like (she and Winkeljohn) had faith in him.

That’s what has made the relationship strong.”
Dec. 2, Route 66 Casino Hotel: Holly Holm vs. Anne-Sophie Mathis, six other bouts.Tickets: $25-$200, startickets.com or at the casino