By LOU PONSI / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
COSTA MESA – Not much was happening for two-plus rounds of the main event at Fight Club OC on Thursday between featherweight boxers Roberto Rodriguez and Juan Sandoval.
Sandoval, of Denver, changed that by landing a right hook to Rodriguez’s chin, sending the San Bernardino boxer to the canvas. Rodriguez (7-2) rose to his feet in a few seconds, but then fell to his knees and Sandoval (7-10-1) won by a knockout 43 seconds into the third round.
The fight was one of six in the hybrid boxing-MMA card, staged in front of 1,317 at the Hangar.
In the MMA main event, former UFC contender Rob Emerson of Dana Point came away with a first-round, lightweight victory over King of the Cage veteran Musa Toliver of Long Beach.
The fighters stayed on their feet and barely touched each other for four minutes before going to the canvas. While on his back, Emerson managed to lock in a triangle choke around Toliver’s neck, forcing him to tap out at 4:20 of the round.
In a lightweight MMA bout, Ernest Chavez improved to 5-0 with a unanimous decision over Josh Smith of Lake Forest (8-7).
David Barragan improved his record to 3-0-1 with a win against Carl Hill from Compton.
In the opening MMA bout Luc Bonbole took home his first professional win against Wolfgang Steinbeck.