San Antonio's Finest Young Talent on Display this Saturday

The next era of great San Antonio fighters is upon us, and the Saturday night Card at the Alzafar Shrine highlights the elite talent that the Alamo City is pumping out led by fan-favorite pressure fighter Javy Vargas Jr., 12-0 (6), the unbeaten 20-year-old will battle Fort Worth tough guy Caly "3RD Degree" Burns 10-20 (2) in the six-round main event. Burns has a deceiving record and has fought many of the top prospects on their way up, including Hector Tanjara, Devin Haney, and Demler Zamora. Burns will prove to be a good litmus test for the young San Antonian. Despite his 20 losses, Burns has been stopped just once by Jose Valenzuela in 2021.

The card also features a pair of unbeaten prospects with world championship ambitions. 3X National champion David Cardenas, 1-0 (1), who made his debut earlier this month and scored a second-round KO, will return to the ring and battle Rodric Cherry 0-2 in a four-round super flyweight fight. Cardenas plans to fight at the minimum weight class of 105 pounds in the future but to secure fights now and stay active, he will move up and down the weight classes and fight as high as 115 as needed.

Also on the card is the hard-hitting teenage phenom "Pretty Boy" Ricky Nunez, 1-0 (1). He also made his professional debut on August 4th in Mexico alongside Cardenas. Nunez, whose style is much more fitting for the professional ranks, showed off the power in the little 8 oz gloves and no headgear by absolutely annihilating Pedro Abdiel Alatorre, finishing him in just 45 seconds. He will lock up with Ruben Martinez Jr. in a four-round Jr welterweight affair. Martinez was stopped by fellow San Antonio Prospect Daniel Cortez in his last fight. Nunez, is trained by his father, the famed San Antonio-based trainer and owner of South Park Boxing Academy Rick Nunez, who has worked the corner for would-class fighters like Mario Barrios and Omar Juarez.

Also on the card is "The Fighting Ring Card Girl '' Mayra Rodriguez, 1-1 (1), the fan-favorite turned pro in late 2022 and picked up her first career win in March of this year when she stopped Domonique Hernandez in the third round. Rodriguez will battle El Paso native Roxanne Ceasear, who is making her pro debut.

Tanajara, Cortez, Impress in San Antonio Homecoming Fights!

Photo Credit: Alamo City MediaGroup

In the evening's main event, "El Finito" Hector Tanajara, of San Antonio, made it 2-0 in his comeback at 140 pounds, with a textbook, vintage, "El Finito" performance! Tanajara was as sharp as ever in scoring a lopsided unanimous decision over Johnny Arellano of Austin. Tanajara improved to 21-1-1 (6). The new weight seems to be a fit for the San Antonian. Tanajara has shown more pop on his punches. He was able to hurt Arellano time and again with clean, crisp combinations. He staggered Arellano in the second, again in the third, and nearly finished him a number of times, on his way to a lopsided victory by scores of 60-54xs and 59-55. It was the type of performance that reminds the world of the sharp skill, Tanajara posses that had him in the conversation with Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia. "I give myself maybe a B or a B+. I would have given myself an A if I got the stoppage." a victorious Tanajara said "I felt great in there. I felt calm, more like myself, and more aggressive. That's thanks to my team" It was vintage "El Finito" but the San Antonian wasn't satisfied or resting. The victorious San Antonian plans on being back in the ring in May and said he's going to be right back in the gym tomorrow "I'm going to be right back in the gym tomorrow. This was only a six-round fight. I feel great." a motivated Tanajara explained. As motivated as ever, he gave thanks to his Dad and Robert Garcia for the great work they did and said there's still work to do "I could have done some things better. I could have caught and shoot a little bit better." It's the best Tanajara has looked since his Alamodome victory over Juan Carlos Burgos back in 2020. It was a great sign that Tanajara is back and close to competing at the most elite level again. When asked what's next "We have one more fight in May." Tanajara said, "after that, sky's the limit. We are looking at any fighter at the top of 135 or 140... whatever is the best opportunity. If I get a fight at 135 with the right amount of time, I can make 135, but I like how I feel at 140, but if I have enough time, I can make 135 as well."

In the Co-main Daniel Cortez improved his record to 4-0 (2) with a first-round stoppage. The highly touted prospect from San Antonio, patiently stalked his much larger opponent, Ruben Martinez. Walking down his man, the 20-year-old Cortez was the physically strong man, and in complete control, Snapping off his jab, Martinez was uncomfortable from the opening bell. Cortez dropped his man with a single jab just past the midway point of the opening round, displaying his unique power. Martinez was able to make it to his feet. However, Cortez stepped up the pace a bit and ripped his opponent with a left hook to the body. He stayed on the attack and again rattled his opponent, this time with a one-two combination. Cortez struck again, Just before the bell rang to end the opening round. He put together a perfectly placed left-hook and right-hand combination that again put his outmatched opponent on the floor. Martinez reached his feet, but his corner had decided he had seen enough and stopped the fight. Giving Cortez the first-round TKO victory.

Also on the card was fan favorite Mayra Rodriguez of San Antonio. Rodriguez is also a professional model and ring-card girl. She can now add successful professional boxer to her impressive resume. Rodriguez scored a third-round TKO at the 1:31 mark and moved her record to 1-1 (1) by stopping Domonique Hernandez of Seguin fell to 0-1.

In two other fights of note, Jason "El Gallo" Limon outboxed Alexis "Bam Bam" Balderas, from the Rio Grande Valley, for the Texas State welterweight title. Limon needed to stay away from the heavy bombs from "Bam Bam" and he was largely successful in doing so. Bouncing back from his first career loss, Limon secured the biggest win of his career via unanimous decision by scores of 60-54x2 and 59-55 to move his record to 6-1-1 (2).

Another one of Robert Garcia's pupils Sylvestre Quinonez improved his record to 3-0 (1) picking up a third-round stoppage of Keith Smart. Quinonez scored a first and second-round knockdown. Overcoming a cut over his left eye, from a head butt, Quinonez stayed calm and in control and dropped Smart again right at the end of the second. In the third round, he again rocked his opponent with another clean left hook that staggered Smart. Quinonez pushed hard and unleashed a whirlwind of pinpoint power shots that poured in one after another until the referee came in to waive off the bout at 1:12 of round three.

In what may have been the most fan-friendly fight of the night, Luis Gallegos and Mustafa Malik traded knockdowns in the first round. Gallegos stayed on the aggressive and scored with a big right hand that rocked and wobbled Malik late in the second. Gallegos scored again moments later with another right hand that sent Malik into the corner. A massive right hand followed that up and put Malik down again right at the end of the second, this time for good. Giving Gallegos a second-round knockout to move his recur to 5-1 (5).

"El Finito" Hector Tanajara Returns in March on Loaded San Antonio Card

One of The Alamo City's brightest young stars Hector "El Finito" Tanajara, returns to the ring at the Shrine Auditorium in his home city, on Marvh12th. The fight will be held on a Sunday afternoon and is put on in conjunction with Gamez Law Firm, South Park Boxing, Robert Garcia Boxing Academy as well as Triple-A promotions.

Tanajara, a promising now junior welterweight fighter, ended a two-fight skid in 2021 and '22 that resulted in his first career blemishes a loss in 2021, and a draw in 2022. He returned home to San Antonio this past November to get back on track at a new weight and scored an impressive fifth-round TKO over Antonio Meija at the Tech Port Arena on the city's west side. It was an impressive return from the super-sharp contender who sports a 20-1-1 (6) and is still just 26 years old and still has world title aspirations to go along with world title skills that he reminded the boxing world of last November.

The card will feature a load of Robert Garcia fighters that will include surging prospect, Daniel Cortez of San Antonio who was one of the top Texas prospects to watch emerge in 2023. Plus the long and rangy Junior Middleweight prospect Sylvestre Quinonez who resides in the nearby hill country will be featured on the card. There will also be a loaded undercard that will feature highly touted and hard-hitting Super Featherweight Henry "World Star" Arredondo, who has gone viral for a variety of knockouts and has been featured on nationally televised PBC cards. Additionally, rising blue chip prospect Javy Fernandez, who was also featured as one of the best prospects to watch in Texas will be back in action and will look to move his career record to 13-. Plus, touted welterweight prospect and former amateur standout Jason Limon will be in action, all of San Antonio. In another special attraction fight, fans will get another look at fan-favorite women fighter and professional model Mayra Rodriguez. Rodriguez has previously worked as a ring girl and is the current face of, and official model for, Fade Life Clothing.

Frank Gore Headlines TMB Promoted Card in San Antonio

Frank Gore is the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 16,000 career rushing yards. The list is:

1. Emmit Smith

2. Walter Payton

3. Frank Gore

That's the list. That's the level Frank Gore operated at in the NFL during an incredible career that ran from 2005-2020 that also saw Gore collect 81 career rushing TDs and 3985 receiving yards. The future football hall of Famer has now embarked on a successful prizefighting career. After an exhibition bout with former NBA legend and graduate of The Colony High School in the DFW Metroplex, Deron Williams. Gore embarked on a professional career that got off to a spectacular start knocking out Olasehinde Olorunsola in the fourth round in their fight back in May in Biloxi. Mississippi. He returns to the ring on a Team Morones Boxing Card in San Antonio at the Freeman Coliseum. He will scrap with San Antonio local Joshua Romero (0-2) in a four-round heavyweight affair.

The co-main event will showcase the return of one of San Antonio's favorite fighting sons Richard "El Castigo '' Medina (13-1). He looks to bounce back off of his lone career defeat in June when he was outpointed by Raymond Ford at the Tech Port Arena. He will battle with fellow Alamo City native Steve Garagarza (3-5-1)

Also on the card is hard-hitting fan favorite "Worldstar" Arredondo, who returns to the ring after his draw with "Fort Worth Wolf" Tony Lopez in Frisco. Arrendondo, 8-1-1, will battle with rugged veteran Rafael Reyes, 20-15, in a scheduled six-rounder. Undefeated Flyweight prospect Guillermo Gutierrez will also be in action.

The card also has two very intriguing women's bouts. Professional model, ring girl, and amateur stand-out Mayra Rodriguez will make her pro-debut against undefeated Dallas native Abril Anguiano in a scheduled four-rounder. Also, all-action fan favorite Mi Vida Loca" Brittany Ordonez returns to the ring and will battle Destiny Jones in a six-round affair.

Amateur Star Mayra Rodriguez to Make Pro Debut on December 3rd TMB Card

Mayra Rodriguez, of San Antonio, has a lot of titles: amateur boxer, model, ring girl, and now she's about to add one that is particularly important to her, professional fighter! She will be making her pro debut in her home city, on a Team Morones Boxing Card at the Freeman Coliseum on December 3rd. The card is headlined by NFL Legend Frank Gore and co-mained by one of San Antonio's favorite fighting sons, Rick Medina Jr.and will be streamed all over the world. The moment isn't getting to her as she insists she's ready for the moment " I'm Ready... It's a dream come true. I'm super excited about all this'', and she should be. She has prepared herself well as an amateur and won't get stage fright as a result of a successful career as a model and ring girl which has prepared her well for having all eyes on her.

The modeling and being the ring girl has prepared her in a sense she explained, "the opportunity to be a ring card girl came up, and I took it. It helped me get comfortable with the ring and with the people. I feel really good! It's fun." It helped her get over the little stage fright she felt in the first round of her amateur career. She described how she became a ring girl "I have a bestie, who did the ring girl thing and she asked me if I wanted to do it. I said but, I'm a boxer... are you sure? She showed them [the promotion] a picture, and they were like sure!"

Rodriguez got into boxing after she had her second daughter. She needed something to help relieve stress and boxing filled the need. "I was playing soccer at that time and the gym was around the corner, I had a friend that boxed and I tried it out and I really liked it." the San Antonian explained. She started from the absolute beginning and built herself up quickly. She retells a story of her first day in a boxing gym and her coach telling her to jab and she asked, "what's a jab? How do I do it? My coach was like man you hit like a girl... now he knows I'm good."

The model picked up boxing quickly, had a brief but successful amateur career, and decided it was time to turn pro. After fights got canceled during the covid pandemic and the gym was closed her amateur career got put on hold. When she came back from the layoff she knew it was time to turn pro, "I don't want to do the amateur things anymore. After COVID I had to get back on track. I couldn't do amateur boxing anymore I couldn't see myself doing that anymore. I'm ready!!

Now her time has arrived, she will do battle with Abril Anguiano of Dallas and enters the fight extremely confident when asked about her opponent Rodriguez said "I know she's a professional MMA fighter and boxer, and she's from Dallas. That's all I know, I've been training, and that's all I need to know. I'm ready!"

Rodriguez has excelled at every level and in everything she's done thus far. So it stands to reason that boxing at the professional level will be no different and she's definitely in the right city for a successful pro career. San Antonio has produced a list of elite-level women fighters, Selina Barrios had an excellent career, Melissa Houglin is a 14x US national champion and off to a 3-0 start in her pro career and the are other high-level female Alamo City fighters like "Mi Vida Loca" Brittany Ordonez, who will also be featured on the TMB card, however, none have gotten to the peak of the mountain top, none have gotten to a world title and Rodriguez seeks to become the first!

It's not every day that a ring girl and model have expectations like this to become a world champion. The Alamo City native explained that people often think she's different people, including a photographer who was in the same boxing class as her "there was this time I was doing boxing classes, just in my workout clothes. One of the guys that works out with us. He does the shoot for the ring girls. So I go to the shoot dressed as the ring girl, and he tells the coach that she kinda looks like the girl from the class." Not knowing the girl in the boxing class and the ring girl was actually the same person. She told of going to her weigh-ins for her fights and everyone thinking she was the ring girl, not the fighter.

When asked if Mayra the fighter and Mayra the ring girl gets treated differently she replied with the obvious "Yes. of course, as the ring girl you have to be super friendly, and very girly, it's all about what you're wearing, the makeup, as a fighter is the complete opposite. you're tough, you have a different following.'

As you could imagine Rodriguez will have a big crowd next Saturday at the Freeman Coliseum. However, she's not sure if perhaps her biggest fan will be there, her dad. She explains " My dad has been to all my amateur fights. My mom won't go to any. She'll tell me to take care and throw some chingasos! My Dad this time has not said no but has been putting some excuses on why he isn't gonna go. He doesn't want to watch me fight. I get it, I am his baby girl.

Perhaps after scoring a sensational victory on December 3rd at the Freeman Coliseum, as she is expected to do, her Dad will be a little more comfortable watching her daughter take care of business in the professional ring, just as she did as an amateur.