Michael Smyth / Tahoe Onstage
Carson City’s Diego Elizondo lost his first professional fight on Saturday in Reno by a unanimous decision to Colton, California’s Mike Sanchez.
Two judges scored the fight 38-37. The third judge scored the fight 39-36. Elizondo is 2-1-2 in five pro fights. Sanchez improved to 6-0 with two knockouts.
Sanchez knocked Elizondo down with a body blow in the third round.
“He caught me with a punch and one punch can change a fight,” Elizondo said. “I think I was winning every other round besides that.”
Elizondo was moving back on his toes when Sanchez delivered the blow. The Carson City fighter bounced quickly to his feet. Elizondo called it a flash knockdown. Cornerman Juan Torres said it was a push.
“He was feeling all of my body shots,” Sanchez said. “With his style, I had to be very aggressive to get my punches in. I know we are close to his hometown, so I had two fights. One with him and one with is fanbase.”
In the battle of southpaw lightweights, Sanchez set the tone, moving forward and throwing several hard-hit jabs and a few left hooks. Elizondo shuffled and leaned away from most of the punches.
Elizondo had a couple solid shots when the two traded blows, but Sanchez pushed forward and landed two right hooks to the upper body.
Rounds 1 and 2 were close with Sanchez pushing the pace with Elizondo eluding punches and moving around the ring. Elizondo finished the round strong with a strong right jab.
“When I let my hands go in flurries and then stepping back, it was working,” Elizondo said.
The fourth and final round was the most exciting and Elizondo land his best punches. But Sanchez’s body of work over the contest was not overlooked by the judges.
“I will go back to the gym and keep pushing,” Elizondo said, “because I’ve got a long road and my story is going to be different than anyone else’s.”
-Isaiah Burrows and Tim Parsons
Shaun Astor/ Tahoe Onstage photo
