Sergio “Checo” Rodriguez gets his 6th Win at Iron Boy 63

at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix Arizona on November 18 2022. 

Iron Boy Promotions held their 63rd  professional boxing show at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix Arizona on November 18 2022.  The Iron Boy 63 card would feature 5 bouts this evening with  Sergio “Checo” Rodriguez as the co-main event.  Walter “Wacho” Santibanes, Brian Velasquez would not fight on the card as originally planned.  Walter Santibanes was scheduled to fight Benjamin Gomez.  

Sergio “Checo” Rodriguez (6-0-1 with 5 KOs) @checo.s.r would take on Daniel Augare (2-3, 2 kos) out of Browning, Montana at 168.  Rodriguez and Augare would be the co-main event on IB63. Rodriguez came into the ring cold this night and it showed in the first round.  Augare would score a knockdown against Rodriguez in the opening minute of the first round with a straight right, right down pike. Rodriguez would laugh it off and get back up and Checo returned the favor, putting Augare on the canvas twice before the bell would end the first round.  Rodriguez wanted nothing to do with sitting on the stool in between rounds and would stand in his corner anxious to get back in with Augare.  Rodriguez would come out in the second round just as he ended the first, with bad intentions.  Augare would try fend off Rodriguez, but Rodriguez was too strong this evening and would knock down Augare a couple more times before Wes Melton, the referre for this contest, would stop it in the second round.  This would be Sergio Rodriguez’s 6th win and 5th win in the last six and half months.  Checo has been busy racking up knockouts and dubs in 2022. 

What’s next for Sergio as we head into the 2022 holidays? Will we see Checo display his talent on the next big card that comes through Phoenix?       

Walter “Wacho” Melchor from Phoenix Arizona fighting out of Old School Boxing, did not get the chance to fight on IB63. His opponent, Benjamin Gomez, would wind up getting sick before the contest and would not be able to fight on this evening.   Walter was not excited about the news as he arrived at Celebrity Theatre Friday.  It’s a difficult challenge for boxers, when they bust their butts to get ready for a fight and something happens in the last hours, where the two warriors can’t compete. It’s devastating.  The fighter will get over it and come to fight another day.   When it’s the last fight of the year, the time to get over it takes a bit longer.  The fans came to watch their fighter for the last time of the year are shocked and disappointed.  But they will also get over it and possibly find a new boxer to cheer for, however that fighter is not written across their shirts that they bought to support their fighter at the Celebrity. Everyone chalks it up to, this is boxing.

One additional fight note for Iron Boy 63 card.  The pro debut for Siupeli Anau vs Jamal Judai didn’t happen. Jamal never showed. He went to the weigh-ins on Thursday but couldn’t find his way to Celebrity Theatre on Friday.  Anau put in the work and was ready to showcase his talent for all of Phoenix to see.  Prepared and Ready, hands wrapped and no Jamal.  Damn. (that’s boxing) 

This wasn’t the first time Jamal had agreed to a fight and “something” came up or he was “hurt”.  He also did it about 10 days prior to Iron Boy on the DelSol Promotions card on November 12, 2022, where he was supposed to fight Rogelio Camarena at 195. Just as Siupeli Anau was getting ready for his debut vs Jamal Judai so was Camarena almost two weeks before.  Jamal agreed to fight Camarena on the DelSol card but during fight week, Jamal said he was “hurt” and was unable to fight. Camarena couldn’t believe it and need less to say, devastated.

This sport is difficult enough with all that a fighter has to do to get ready for his fight.  The pro debut fighter is only known by his friends that see him/her preparing to fight.  The fighter goes through training camp typically while they are working a full time job.  They do conditioning in the early or late hours of the day where they can fit it in 5-6 mile runs.  They have to spar in front of the Boxing Commission to be approved to fight on a show. They have to get and pay for a physical, blood work and eye exams before they can be cleared to fight. They have to purchase their license to fight.  The fighter is also responsible for getting his t-shirts printed for all his fans, and his/her trunks made in time for them to wear the night of the fight. To fight for a local promoter you must sell tickets, deliver the tickets to those that bought the tickets, collect the money for the tickets and then deliver the money back to the promoter along with any left over tickets.  Oh and don’t forget the fighter has to make weight, unless they are over 200 pounds.  It’s a lot and pro debut fighters barely get paid enough to cover their trunks and maybe their coach let alone the other costs involved. 

Opinion:
Jamal Judai should be suspended by the Arizona Boxing Commission, in our opinion.  For him to show up a week or two later after bowing out of a scheduled fight for being hurt, only to weigh-in 30 pounds heavier than what he was expected fight at on DelSol Promotions, for Iron Boy – he wasn’t hurt, he couldn’t make weight, right? When Jamal stepped on the scale and accepted the fight on Iron Boy, there should been something done, with regards to dropping the previous fight on DelSol. Then when he no showed for Anau’s debut, there should have been actions taken, such as revoking Jamal’s license, suspending his coach if he has one, and dinging the promotion company for not doing their due diligence.  If a fighter is fined for missing weight by a pound or two, then what’s the repercussion for missing a fight?   

Remaining Fight Results for Iron Boy 63

Main Event featured  Andre Rene Rodriguez (8-0) from Phoenix Arizona, by way Of Oxnard, CA and fighting out of Fighters First “F1” Boxing in Goodyear AZ and Andre Rene
Rodriguez (10-5-1) from Colombia.  Rodriguez would come away with the win in this fought hard contest, remaining undefeated and improving his record to 9-0.

Dante Stone(11-1) from Chandler Arizona would again be victorious and goes home with his eleventh win against Chad Davis (6-16).   

Rene Moreno, (8-0) 25 year old out of Las Vegas Nevada, by way of Mexico would take on veteran German Ivan Meraz (64-66-3) in a 6 round contest.  Moreno would get a unanimous decision over Meraz.  

Nicholas Johnson (3-1) took on Daniel Felix Franco (2-4) a young man out of Hendersen Nevada by way of Mexico. Johnson comes away with the victory .  

Video Credit: All Around Boxing
Photo Credit: Twin Flames