Combat sports: Ginithan stays undefeated; five New Mexicans qualify

Apr. 23—Samantha Ginithan still has never lost a boxing match, not even one that lasts a single round.

On April 18, Las Cruces' Ginithan — a two-time Golden Gloves national champion — made her professional debut with the Houston Hitmen of the Team Combat League.

In the TCL, boxers compete for a single round in a team format, though they may return for another round later in the competition.

Ginithan, fighting in Houston for a team captained by fellow Las Crucen and former world champion Austin Trout, was matched against Brazil's Simone Aparecida da Silva, a veteran of 48 professional fights (though with a 17-31 record). Fighting two separate rounds, Ginithan got the judges' nod both times in helping the Hitmen defeat the San Antonio Snipers.

She thus joined Albuquerque's Sharahya Moreu in the TCL ranks. Moreu, fighting for the Philadelphia Smoke, split two rounds with former world champion Erica Annabella Farias on April 10 as the Smoke defeated the LA Elite.

Moreu, like Ginithan, competes at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. Ginithan's Hitmen and Moreu's Smoke are scheduled to meet in Philadelphia on May 23.

Ginithan, 34, came to boxing late after playing college basketball, then competing in MMA and judo. She's fast making up for lost time.

FIVE FOR DETROIT: Five New Mexicans have qualified for Golden Gloves nationals, scheduled May 13-18 in Detroit, as members of the Colorado-New Mexico team.

Yoruba Moreu Jr. (125 pounds) and Kevin Whitaker (165) advanced by winning their bouts at Colorado-New Mexico regionals in Longmont, Colorado, on April 13. Moreu defeated Mariano Martin; Whitaker defeated Francisco Hernandez.

Jimmy Perez (112), Ariana Carrasco (147) and Leroy Clark (203-plus) advanced by walkover (forfeit).

Carrasco is from Las Cruces but competes for the U.S. Army boxing team stationed in Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs.

GARCIA TO MSG: Albuquerque's Jordanne Garcia (4-3-3) has accepted a four-round bout at Madison Square Garden on June 8 against New Yorker Nisa Rodriguez (1-0), a three-time Golden Gloves national champion as an amateur.