Joe Louis Murphy's legacy lives on in Satcher and his boxers
Aug. 10—Everything Zimbalist "Zim" Satcher teaches as a boxing coach, from throwing a jab to slipping one, from hitting the heavy bag and hitting the speed bag, flows from his long, devoted apprenticeship with the late Joe Louis Murphy.
"That's all it is," Satcher said on Thursday during an interview outside his garage, which serves as a makeshift gym at his home in Rio Rancho. "He gave me all the tools, and it wouldn't be right not to use it."
Saturday, Satcher will take two of his boxers, his son Zimbalist Satcher II and Emilio Lopez, to Moriarty for a Texas vs. New Mexico amateur card.
Entering their bouts in Moriarty, Lopez is 0-2 and Zim II is 0-1.
Of course, the losses rankled. Of course, both young boxers are hoping to break into the win column on Saturday.
Yet, they've learned from their coach, as Satcher learned from Murphy, that boxing is about far more than wins and losses.
Lopez, 19, dropped out of high school at 14. He started training at Jack Candelaria Community Center, where Murphy — a New Mexico boxing icon — spotted him and took an interest.
"He really helped me get my act together," Lopez said.
Zim II had known Murphy since he was 7 or so, having accompanied his father to the gym.
"(Murphy) would call me into the ring," he said, "and I'd help with the older fighters in the corner."
Still, Zim II, 16, initially preferred basketball; he also runs track at Cleveland High School.
"Some stuff happened with basketball, and then I made the transition to boxing," he said. "And I fell in love with it."
The lessons learned from Murphy, and passed on by Satcher, begin and end with discipline and respect — respect for the sport, for their coach, for teammates and for opponents.
"I dropped out of high school and was sort of lost," Lopez said. "Boxing helped me find my way back to discipline and just being respectful and really being appreciative of what I have."
After losing his first fight, Zim II said, "I was upset, but at the same time I have a great team around me. I was like, 'Darn, I wish I wish I could have won.' But at the same time, I was like 'I love you guys,' and they were there for me."
As discouraging as it was to lose his first two bouts, Lopez said, "I never thought about walking away, because I knew (Albuquerque boxing Hall of Famer) Bobby Foster lost his first few amateur fights. Same with (world champion Manny) Pacquiao.
"... So I didn't really look at it as a discouraging thing. I look at it as a way to push myself."
Despite Saturday's New Mexico vs. Texas motif, Lopez and Zim II are each facing New Mexico opponents.
In a rematch, Lopez is scheduled to face Antonio Morales from the Duke City Underdogs. Zim II is matched against Jesus Cisneros from TNT Boxing.
Of his own club, Satcher has seen the team grow from two boxers — Lopez and Zim II — to 20.
As always, it's about honoring Murphy, who died in November just days after his long overdue induction into the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame.
"The thing Joe left us with was perfect technique," Satcher said. "Even though we strive for it, we'll never be perfect. ... There's always room to improve, even when you think you have all the answers.
"That's what we love about it."
Saturday's card is being staged by Albuquerque's Sigala family: Tony and daughters Brandy and Cat.
For information, call 505-377-9608.
