"El Finito" Hector Tanjara showed the boxing world as well as the packed-out crowd at the Port Tech Arena in the west side of San Antonio, just a stone's throw away from where the touted prospect grew up, that he's still a world-class fighter. Tanajara was defined by his skills and speed, which got him to contender status, As he built up a 19-0 record by the time he was barely 23. Those elite-level skills are still intact. As he took apart rugged Mexican opponent Antonio Meija and stopped him in five. Tanajara had not secured a stoppage victory since early 2018 when he blew away Eduardo Rivera in the opening round.
Tanajara got going early behind a snappy jab. He set up his power shots like a savvy pro. A left hook dropped Meija in the opening round, which was a sign of things to come. The San Antonian used excellent movement and stayed calm and patient. Out jabbing, outworking, and out-landing his opponent over a one-sided affair. Tanajara measured his man perfectly and scored with thudding right hands, which eventually brought the bout to a halt as Meija's corner stepped in and waived the bout off after five brutal rounds.
The surprise of the night occurred in the evening's co-main event when fan favorite and hometown hero Robert "Biggie" Rodriguez had to settle for a draw with Irving-based opponent Dominique Griffin. A determined Griffin made it a fight using movement and refusing to stand in front of Biggie. After a close and competitive opening round Rodriguez, a southpaw, appeared to carry the second round with harder and more precise punches. He hunted the quicker North Texan down with straight left hands. However, Griffin stayed on the move and after an odd incident where he slipped out of the ring. Griffin regained momentum and used his jab to keep Biggie from walking In. He mixed in a good right hand in a competitive fourth. Griffin stayed to the game plan and continued to make Biggie miss, who appeared to grow a bit frustrated. Biggie rallied in the 6th. Scoring with a perfectly placed double uppercuts, and stayed on the attack. Perhaps taking the final stanza. To eek a very close and competitive draw. The judges scored it 57-57 and 58-56 each way.
The card also featured a litany of other highly touted prospects, such as Del Rio's own "Panterita" Jesus Martinez who scored the first stoppage victory of his young and promising career. A third-round knockout that came via a barrage of body shots, a well-placed body shot dropped Israel Camacho. In a veteran move, the 17-year-old Deo Rio native stayed down to the body and finished off his wounded opponent. Dropping him a second time which instantly brought in the referee to waive the bout off.
San Antonio native Daniel Cortez and 14x national champion Melissa Holguin both moved their record to 3-0 as well. Cortez took a giant step up in competition and took on an 8-8 fighter by the name of Jesus Arturo Guzman. Cortez showed off his immense skills on the inside, ripping uppercuts and hooks in close range. He was able to block most of his opponets return fire and remained in control, dominating the fight on the inside and outside picking up a unanimous decision by scores of 40-36 on all three cards of the scheduled four-rounder.
Decorated amateur and undefeated professional "La Joya" Melissa Holguin also of San Antonio stayed that way in a one-sided drubbing of rugged veteran and Chicago native Kim Colbert. Holguin put together a ferocious body attack that would have made Roberto Duran proud. She had her veteran opponent badly hurt several times and was on the verge of a stoppage. However, Colbert was able to endure till the final bell and for the second time La Joya picked up a lopsided decision over Colbert winning every round on every card. The judges were all in agreement 40-36.