Rod Salka (born February 28, 1983) is an American
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
and politician.
Background
Born and raised in
Bunola, Pennsylvania, Salka served ten years as part of the
United States National Guard
The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force when activated for federal missions.[Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...]
in the 38th House District of Pennsylvania.
Professional career
Salka vs. García
Salka is most notable for facing
light welterweight
Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing Professional boxing
In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...
world champion
Danny García
Danny Óscar Garcia (born March 20, 1988) is an American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA (Super), WBC, ''Ring'' magazine and lineal light welterweight titles betwe ...
on August 9, 2014, a fight in which Salka was brutally
knocked out
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
in two rounds. Before and after the event, the fight was heavily criticized by boxing observers as a mismatch.
Salka vs. Vargas
On April 12, 2018, Salka faced former
super featherweight
Super featherweight, also known as junior lightweight, is a boxing weight classes, weight division in professional boxing, contested between and .
The super featherweight division was established by the New York Walker Law in 1920, although firs ...
world champion
Francisco Vargas. During the fight, Salka created controversy by wearing trunks featuring a
red, white and blue brick wall pattern and the phrase "America 1st", a reference to
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's proposed border wall and
slogan and policy. Salka would go on to
retire on his stool at the end of round six, after being knockdown down by a Vargas combination which left him cut over his left eye.
[Lauletta, Tyler (April 13, 2018)]
"An American boxer wearing trunks supporting Trump's wall got knocked out by a Mexican opponent"
''Business Insider
''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German publ ...
''. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
Professional boxing record
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salka, Rod
Living people
Super-featherweight boxers
Lightweight boxers
Light-welterweight boxers
1983 births
American male boxers
Boxers from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Republicans
Politicians from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania