logo
Mexican boxer, 37, found dead in hotel room hours after losing fight

Mexican boxer, 37, found dead in hotel room hours after losing fight

Daily Mirror5 days ago
Mexican super-bantamweight fighter Pedro Antonio 'Tony' Rodriguez was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday morning, just hours after losing a bout in the United States
Mexican boxer Pedro Antonio 'Tony' Rodriguez has died at the age of 37 after being found in his hotel room on Sunday morning. The super-bantamweight fighter had been defeated in a bout on Saturday evening.
Rodriguez, born in Durango, Mexico, fought in Phoenix, Arizona, over the weekend at the American Royal Palace. The clash, titled the 'Brawl in the Barrio,' was commissioned by the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission and organised by Del Sol Boxing Promotions.

The 37-year-old was fighting Phillip Vela, nicknamed the Sin City Sicilian, who was 3-0 heading into the bout and emerged victorious via unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday.

According to Marca, Rodriguez, who worked at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), returned to his hotel room after the fight and had arranged to go out to dinner with other fighters from the card.
However, he never arrived at the hotel lobby. He was discovered having tragically passed away on Sunday morning when hotel staff entered his room after he wasn't present when transport arrived to take him to the airport.
Police are currently investigating the reasons for his passing, which are presently unclear. Arizona authorities have not issued an official report on the cause of death as of yet, nor has it been established if there is any connection to the fight or any pre-existing medical condition.

Karla Valenzuela, the fighter's wife, has bravely opened up after the tragic incident, suggesting that perhaps a blow from the fight could have caused her husband's death.
"He called me when his fight ended. Even when the show was over and he left for the hotel, he talked to me, he made a video call," she stated.

"He told me that he was going out to buy dinner and that he was coming back because at 3:30 in the morning, they were going to pick them up to take them to the airport, that was the only thing I talked to him about.
"I don't know what really happened: some kind of blow. I don't know what happened. I am also confused. We have to wait until tomorrow to see what the report says."
Vela, who fought Rodriguez just before his death, took to Instagram to post a touching tribute to the boxer, 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 paid their respects to Rodriguez, posting: "The Del Sol Boxing family is heartbroken at the death of Pedro Antonio Rodriguez.
"Our hearts and thoughts are with his loved ones. Out of respect for his family, please join us in waiting for the local authorities to complete their work and investigation."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot
Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot

Glasgow Times

time26 minutes ago

  • Glasgow Times

Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot

The 25-year-old American, who went into the final day as joint leader with the Northern Irishman on 11 under par, carded a 66 to finish on 15 under, two shots clear of the field at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick. McIlroy's hopes of heading for Royal Portrush with another title under his belt faded away as a round of 68 left him in a tie for second place with England's Marco Penge, who also shot 66, on 13 under. Gotterup told Sky Sports: 'Amazing. It's all hitting me. It's just so cool. I played really well this week. I knew today was going to be tough and I hung in there like a champ and finished it off in style. 'I felt pretty good, shockingly, on the first tee today, I felt comfortable. I knew I was playing well this week and I felt like I was ready for the challenge. That's why I practise and that's why I play, to play against the best. 'It was a pleasure to be out there with [McIlroy] and obviously all the support that he gets is amazing, but it was nice to kind of ruin that a little bit.' McIlroy had set off in unpromising fashion, dropping a shot at the par-five third, but then registered back-to-back birdie threes on the next two holes to move to 12 under, and then needed a fine par putt to stay on that mark after finding the bunker on seven. Rory McIlroy shot a final-round 68 to finished in a tie for second place (Malcolm Mackenzie/PA) Gotterup had a similarly up and down start, bogeying the opening hole before picking up birdies at the third and the seventh to keep pace with the Masters champion. Both men picked up further shots at the next hole and parred the ninth to go into the turn on 33 and still locked together. With England's Matt Fitzpatrick closing to within a shot of the leaders with an eagle three at the 10th, both men missed the fairway from the tee as they followed him, but after McIlroy's birdie putt had stayed up, Gotterup sank his to take the lead in his own right as Fitzpatrick went to 13 under, only to drop a shot at the 12th. McIlroy recovered from a wayward drive to make par at the 11th, where Gotterup also made a four after over-hitting his first putt, and it was he who took a significant step forward at the 12th with a birdie two to go two shots clear. The American pushed his tee shot at the next and ended up off the green with his second, but got up and down to save par and preserve his advantage, which remained intact as the players headed for the 15th. A dropped shot on 15 left him just one to the good with three to play, and although he pushed his tee shot into the rough at the par-five 16th, he emerged with a four to McIlroy's five to go back to 15 under, and with two putts to win on 18, he made no mistake. Nicolai Hojgaard, who tied with Fitzpatrick for fourth place, and Matti Schmid also claimed Open spots.

William and Kate arrive at Wimbledon with George and Charlotte
William and Kate arrive at Wimbledon with George and Charlotte

Rhyl Journal

time30 minutes ago

  • Rhyl Journal

William and Kate arrive at Wimbledon with George and Charlotte

The royals will take their seats at Centre Court on Sunday to watch defending champion Carlos Alcaraz take on world number one Jannik Sinner on Sunday afternoon – where Kate is set to present the trophy to the winner. William wore a double breasted blazer and white chinos, while Kate chose a striking royal blue dress for the occasion. George looked sharp in a black suit, and Charlotte wore a beige summer dress. The family were seen shaking hands and speaking with staff before taking their seats in the royal box. Ahead of the women's final, the princess met eight-year-old Lydia Lowe, who performed the coin toss at the women's wheelchair final. The princess told runner-up Amanda Anisimova to keep her 'head high' after the American suffered a heavy defeat in Saturday's final. Kate consoled Anisimova, who was in tears, as she presented her runner-up prize. The princess then presented the trophy to Polish player Iga Swiatek, who won the title for the first time by beating Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in a final which lasted only 57 minutes. Speaking after the match about meeting Kate, Anisimova said: 'It was such an honour to meet her. 'She definitely had a few things to say that were making me emotional again. 'She was really kind and she told me to keep my head high.' Swiatek said receiving the trophy from the princess was 'surreal', adding that Kate told her 'some nice stuff about the performance' on Centre Court. The Wimbledon champion added: 'Since I was a kid, I'm a big fan of the royal family so it was amazing and I really appreciated that. 'And I'm really grateful that it was her royal highness giving the trophy.' Last year, Kate presented the Wimbledon men's final trophy to Alcaraz in her second public engagement since she announced her cancer diagnosis. The Princess of Wales's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were seen in the royal box on Monday, with the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester also in attendance. Ahead of the women's final, the princess – wearing a white belted jacket and pleated skirt – met eight-year-old Lydia Lowe, who performed the coin toss at the women's wheelchair final. After shaking her hand, the princess asked the eight-year-old whether she was 'nervous' about tossing the coin, adding: 'Have you got any advice for me, because I've got to go out.' Lydia, who suffered a brain injury in January 2024, leaving her visually impaired and having to relearn to walk, talk and eat, replied: 'Don't be nervous. Take deep breaths.' The eight-year-old performed the coin toss while representing the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, a charity supporting people with disabilities who play tennis by providing them with specialist equipment and grants. The men's singles final on Sunday, with highs of 29C predicted, is unlikely to break the record of the warmest closing day at the tournament, which was 34.1C on July 3 1976. The extreme heat during the 1976 tournament prompted organisers to allow umpires to remove their jackets.

Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot
Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot

South Wales Guardian

time30 minutes ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and claim Open spot

The 25-year-old American, who went into the final day as joint leader with the Northern Irishman on 11 under par, carded a 66 to finish on 15 under, two shots clear of the field at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick. McIlroy's hopes of heading for Royal Portrush with another title under his belt faded away as a round of 68 left him in a tie for second place with England's Marco Penge, who also shot 66, on 13 under. The moment that sealed it 👏#GenesisScottishOpen #RolexSeries #FedExCup — Genesis Scottish Open (@ScottishOpen) July 13, 2025 Gotterup told Sky Sports: 'Amazing. It's all hitting me. It's just so cool. I played really well this week. I knew today was going to be tough and I hung in there like a champ and finished it off in style. 'I felt pretty good, shockingly, on the first tee today, I felt comfortable. I knew I was playing well this week and I felt like I was ready for the challenge. That's why I practise and that's why I play, to play against the best. 'It was a pleasure to be out there with [McIlroy] and obviously all the support that he gets is amazing, but it was nice to kind of ruin that a little bit.' McIlroy had set off in unpromising fashion, dropping a shot at the par-five third, but then registered back-to-back birdie threes on the next two holes to move to 12 under, and then needed a fine par putt to stay on that mark after finding the bunker on seven. Gotterup had a similarly up and down start, bogeying the opening hole before picking up birdies at the third and the seventh to keep pace with the Masters champion. Both men picked up further shots at the next hole and parred the ninth to go into the turn on 33 and still locked together. With England's Matt Fitzpatrick closing to within a shot of the leaders with an eagle three at the 10th, both men missed the fairway from the tee as they followed him, but after McIlroy's birdie putt had stayed up, Gotterup sank his to take the lead in his own right as Fitzpatrick went to 13 under, only to drop a shot at the 12th. McIlroy recovered from a wayward drive to make par at the 11th, where Gotterup also made a four after over-hitting his first putt, and it was he who took a significant step forward at the 12th with a birdie two to go two shots clear. The winning moment 📸#GenesisScottishOpen #RolexSeries #FedExCup — Genesis Scottish Open (@ScottishOpen) July 13, 2025 The American pushed his tee shot at the next and ended up off the green with his second, but got up and down to save par and preserve his advantage, which remained intact as the players headed for the 15th. A dropped shot on 15 left him just one to the good with three to play, and although he pushed his tee shot into the rough at the par-five 16th, he emerged with a four to McIlroy's five to go back to 15 under, and with two putts to win on 18, he made no mistake. Nicolai Hojgaard, who tied with Fitzpatrick for fourth place, and Matti Schmid also claimed Open spots.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store