Featured photo: Like father, like daughter – Alyssa Adams, right, became a boxing announcer, following in the footsteps of her father, Mike Adams, left. (Courtesy/Mike Adams).
By Ed Nunez
For Enchantment Sports
It wasn’t Alyssa Adams’ first time on the big stage.
The 20-year-old New Mexico State sophomore had been tasked in October 2017 with inducting her father, Mike Adams, into the New Mexico Boxing hall of fame.
The speech was delivered with poise, enthusiasm and passion before a large audience, and reviews were fantastic.
Boxing promoter Pat Holmes has used Mike Adams as a ring announcer for many events. Holmes had a meeting with Alyssa Adams sometime around Christmas of 2018, and came away impressed. The meeting gave Holmes an idea, and that idea turned to reality as Alyssa Adams recently became the first female boxing ring announcer in the history of New Mexico boxing at Buffalo Thunder.
“You have to ‘grab’ people, someone that energizes the crowd. That’s Mike’s daughter; she’s a natural,” said Holmes. “She did even better than I expected. She has her own style. Having Mike mentor her is awesome; she has the presence that her father does.”
Mike Adams has done boxing shows on ESPN, Showtime, Telemundo and also several pay-per-view shows as a ring announcer, as well. He has over 23 years of experience.
“My biggest thing was for Pat (Holmes) to give her a call. I wanted it to be organic, rather than me put my two cents in,” said Mike Adams.
Mike Adams, who also hosts “On the Mic With Mike Adams” (Saturdays 11 am, 610 AM), also said, “Alyssa is a great public speaker. I went back to the first time I announced, and she is so far more advanced than I was. She works so hard at whatever she does, and it is always about the fighters.
“The biggest thing for me was the reaction of the fighters. When she said their names, I felt an energy from the crowd, energy in the room and an electrifying feeling,” said Mike Adams.
For her part, Alyssa Adams remembers talking to Holmes and thinking, “This is pretty cool.
“I had never thought of doing any ring announcing, and I am following in my father’s footsteps in another career with hotel/tourism in what he does in his day job,” she said. “My first public speech was at the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame. I had also announced the starting lineups for the New Mexico Thunderbirds when I was 9.”
“I came in from school last Friday, got the fighters’ names and practiced out loud in front of my dad. My dad said, ‘Be strong and powerful with your voice.’ I was a little nervous on the drive up there, but confidence is key. If I am confident within myself, anything is possible,” said Alyssa Adams. “Walking into the ring, the nerves were already gone, it was show time.
“I looked down as I was announcing, and I saw my Mom (Paula Adams) tear up, it was a proud moment for her,” she said. “After the first fight, I felt pretty confident, the second one went real well. It didn’t hit me until I got back to New Mexico State, it felt like a dream.
“Right now, school is my number one priority, but I look forward to more ring announcing opportunities in the future” said Alyssa Adams.
Alyssa Adams made New Mexico boxing history on January 26, 2019. The future looks bright indeed.
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