Pedro Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez, a 37-year-old boxer from Durango, Mexico, was found dead in his hotel room just hours after competing in Phoenix, Arizona.
The super-bantamweight fighter had taken part in Saturday night’s “Brawl in the Barrio” event at the American Royal Palace. The bout was sanctioned by the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission and organized by Del Sol Boxing Promotions.
Rodriguez faced Phillip Vela, also known as the Sin City Sicilian, who entered the ring with a 3-0 record. After six rounds, Vela won by unanimous decision.
According to Marca, Rodriguez worked for the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Following the match, he returned to his hotel room with plans to join fellow fighters for dinner, but he never appeared in the lobby. Hotel staff later found him unresponsive on Sunday morning after he missed his scheduled airport transport, as reported by the Mirror.
Authorities have launched an investigation into Rodriguez’s sudden death. So far, there has been no official confirmation of the cause, and no connection has been established between the fight and any existing medical issues.
Rodriguez’s wife, Karla Valenzuela, spoke out after the tragedy, suggesting that a possible injury during the match could have been a factor.
“He called me when his fight ended,” she said. “He told me he was going to buy dinner and come back because they were being picked up at 3:30 a.m. I don’t know what happened. A blow, maybe. I’m confused too. We have to wait for the report.”
Rodriguez’s opponent, Vela, expressed his grief on Instagram, saying, “Truly heartbroken to find out this news. Thankful to have shared the ring with Pedro for six rounds. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Rest easy, champion.”
Del Sol Boxing Promotions also released a statement: “The Del Sol Boxing family is heartbroken at the death of Pedro Antonio Rodriguez. Our thoughts are with his loved ones. Out of respect for his family, we ask everyone to wait for the authorities to complete their investigation.”
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