Socorro boxer prepares for the “Burque Brawl”

The “Burque Brawl” will take place in Albuquerque on Friday, Jan. 9. The fight card for this event features six boxers, including Socorro’s own Felipe Chavez. 

Chavez is managed under Theresa Tapia, widow of Johnny Tapia, who was a world champion boxer from Albuquerque, and the “Burque Brawl” is presented by Tapia Takeover. Information about the event can be found here: tapiapromotions.com. Chavez’s match will be six rounds at three minutes each against John Makdessi, a Canadian MMA fighter and UFC veteran trained in Tae Kwon Do and Shotokan.

Chavez has over 12 years of professional MMA experience, holds an MMA black belt with training in jujitsu and Muay Thai, and has trained with renowned MMA trainer Greg Jackson. He has fought all over the nation and has a 6-4 record in professional MMA fights. However, he says that bare knuckle boxing is his “bread and butter.”

“I mostly do bare knuckle fighting. I've been doing that for the past three years. I was fighting super heavyweight. So I fight a tournament. It'd be three fights a night, and I won my first tournament, all by knockouts. So I went and did another one,” Chavez said.

Chavez went on to fight Michael Manno in his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut, winning that match by doctor stoppage in round three. He currently has a 3-1-0 record in the BKFC. Originally from Socorro, he has returned to his hometown after many years of moving around to pursue his passion.

“I was gone 23 years, moved back about a year and a half ago,” he said. “I'm happy to be home. They’ve taken me back, you know, with open arms. I mean, look what we got now. We got clubs. We got a lot of kids, a lot of the younger guys that are in here, they came in and they picked it up real quick. They kept on working and working. Now they're in there sparring with me.” 

Chavez gives a lot of credit to his fiancee, Shelbi Goret, for her support and assistance in the many aspects of preparing for professional fights.

“She really is a big part of my camp, my nutrition, keeping me focused, taking me out to the mountains to run, building my promotional videos, setting up my doctor's appointments, dealing with promoters, everything contracts. There's a lot behind the training and the actual fighting that goes into it,” Chavez said.

In addition to his busy training schedule, he works full time at Wal-Mart, as the Asset Protection Operations Coach. He can also be found most evenings training and coaching at the King of Kings Golden Gloves Boxing Club’s gym space in Socorro.

“We're just blessed to have a place for the kids to come at night and do something positive,” said Chavez. “By the time they get done here, there's no time for them to get in trouble. We make sure they leave pretty tired.” 

Even when he is talking about his upcoming fight, he brings the topic back around to the impact the boxing club has for youth in the community.

“I'm really excited to get out there and represent New Mexico, represent my hometown, and just be an example for the kids. We have a lot of kids that are coming into the gym, and a lot of them look up to me and some of the older guys and the older coaches who are fighting,” Chavez said.