Martin defeated on split decision

WORLEY, Idaho – It was a frustrating night for Team Christy Martin in front of a packed house Friday night in the Coeur d’Alene Casino’s House of Fury.

Martin, 38, a pioneer in women’s professional boxing, lost for the second consecutive time and the third time in her past four fights dating back to 2003. And in the night’s semi-main event, Derrick Brown, a promising New York cruiserweight Martin manages and her husband, Jim Martin, trains, came away from a 10-round bout with stout Gary Gomez, from Salt Lake City, with a draw.

In the night’s main event, Sandpoint’s Favio Medina scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Rudy Lovato of Albuquerque, N.M., to claim the Canada-American-Mexican welterweight belt.

The belt signifies a definite step up for Medina, 12-1-2 in his career, in his first time out in a prime main event bout at the casino. Lovato, no stranger to Worley, is 21-36-4.

Martin, who has won lightweight belts from both the WBC and WBA, lost a 10-round split decision to Angelica Martinez in the night’s best bout and biggest upset.

It was the second consecutive loss and fifth of her career for Martin, 46-5-2. Martin lost a decision to Holly Holm in September 2005 her last time out.

Martin, whose punching ability makes her one of the few women to have earned Mike Tyson’s respect, went toe-to-toe with Martinez, who is 6-2-1. Both women landed big punches, but Martin also displayed a defensive ability honed through 53 professional fights – slipping punches and rolling with punches to minimize damage while landing big hooks to the body and stiff uppercuts.

Martinez did not back away from the challenge, although her efforts to intimidate the shorter Martin ultimately were counterproductive.

Up-and-coming 148-pounder Hilario “La Cobra” Lopez met his mongoose when he stepped in against Mike Lucero, a hard-hat-and-lunch-pail fighter from West Linn, Oregon.

Lucero, 10-10-1, whose ring motor works only in forward gears, spent eight solid rounds making Lopez pay for not having a workable jab, staying inside the Parma, Idaho fighter’s superior reach and away from the sweeping hooks Lopez favors.

Lopez fell to 9-5 on the unanimous decision.

Newman Lake heavyweight Skyler Anderson earned his fourth win in five professional fights on a six-round unanimous decision over Cleveland heavyweight Mike Moncrief.

Pasco’s Louis Lopez won all four rounds on all three judge’s scorecards to take a decision from Chicago’s Michael Rush.

Jesus Vallejo, from Billings, earned a win by TKO in his professional debut, stopping Leroy Bazan of Albuquerque at the 2:51 mark of the second round.