Lindenmuth's busy day never fails to include boxing

Mar. 20—A typical Katherine Lindenmuth day begins between 5 and 5:30 a.m., as the single mom from Bosque Farms rises to get the two oldest of her three boys on the bus and headed for another day of school.

Then, it's off to Rosales Kickboxing & Karate in neighboring Los Lunas for the first of two training sessions in preparation for her next boxing match — in this case, Saturday night in Albuquerque.

Lindenmuth (5-2, two KOs) is scheduled to face Salt Lake City's Maryguenn Vellinga (4-2-2, two KOs) in a six-round light flyweight (108-pound) bout on the Abraham Perez-Fernando Diaz undercard at Expo New Mexico's Creative Arts Center.

After training, it's back home to get her youngest off to school.

Next: a full work day as a digital creator and trainer.

"I've been very blessed since COVID to work from home," Lindenmuth said during an interview Tuesday evening, before her second training session of the day at Rosales' location in Albuquerque.

"(COVID) hit everybody pretty hard. Me as a single mom, it hit me especially hard because my kids (at the time) were too young to stay home alone. So working from home was a godsend."

After training session No. 2, it's back to Bosque Farms and dinner with her boys. Her oldest, soon to turn 16, is playing JV and C-team basketball at Valencia High School.

"Usually, I'll have something pre-made, or I'll make something when I get home," she said. "... My kids are older now, so they do help out a little bit — prep the oven, get stuff ready."

After dinner, there's homework — and not just for the boys.

"I'm three classes away from my master's degree," Lindenmuth said. "It's criminal justice with an emphasis on law enforcement, because I want to be a police officer."

So, what does Lindenmuth do for fun? She runs.

"I actually scheduled myself for the (March 9) King of the Hill. Then my coach (Rosales) told me no, because it's a trail run and he didn't want me to get hurt.

"I am scheduled for a 5K on Sunday after my fight. (Running's) something I do for an escape, anyway."

As for boxing, Lindenmuth is not looking for an escape. At 34, she's all in.

After a loss by unanimous decision to Nevada's Yadira Bustillos in her most recent fight — both of her losses have been to Bustillos — she's eager to get back into the win column.

"I'm ready to start moving up," she said. "... I'm ready to start making moves. We're definitely looking for a title shot here in the future."

Vellinga, she said, presents a challenge to those ambitions.

"She's a pretty tough opponent," she said. ".... I'm looking forward to a really good fight with a really skilled competitor."

LOVATO, TOO: Albuquerque's Amanda Lovato, Lindenmuth's friend, sparring partner and rival — Lindenmuth defeated Lovato by six-round split decision on a Legacy Promotions card in August 2022 — will seek her first professional boxing victory on Saturday in Superior, Colorado.

Lovato (0-2-1) is matched against Colorado's Molly Backowski (0-1).

AMATEUR RANKINGS: New Mexico amateur boxers have advanced in the latest rankings released by USA Boxing after that organization's National Open tournament in Albuquerque.

Las Cruces' Ariana Carrasco, who won an Elite Division National Open title, is ranked No. 4 at 146 pounds. Philadelphia's Stacia Suttles, whom Carrasco defeated for the title, is No. 3.

Albuquerque's Leroy Clark is No. 3 at Elite super heavyweight (203 pounds-plus), the weight at which he won a title at the National Open.

Heavyweight (203) is Clark's natural weight, but after seeing the rankings, he posted on Facebook, "I think ima stay at super heavyweight."

Albuquerque's Yoruba Moreu Jr. is ranked No. 5 at 125 after reaching the National Open Elite finals.

Not to be forgotten is Las Cruces' Joscelyn Olayo-Muñoz, who didn't enter the National Open because she's preparing for a Team USA evaluation camp next month in Chula Vista, California.

Olayo-Muñoz, as a 2023 national champion, is ranked No. 1 at 106 pounds in the Junior Division (ages 14-16).