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Philippines, 16 Dec 2025 |
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The Mongoose Rides Into the Sunset: Burdick Wins the Battle of the Jonathans By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Mon, 18 Aug 2025  San Francisco’s Kezar Pavilion—an old cathedral of sweat and struggle tucked near the edge of Golden Gate Park—witnessed a fitting finale on August 16th. Under the bright Dragon House MMA lights, Jonathan “The Mongoose” Burdick, RRT, claimed the 135-pound bantamweight belt in what would be his last fight. His opponent, a rising star with a similar first name—Jonnathan Morales Dominguez—came to seize glory, but the night belonged to the veteran. For eight hours, from the early afternoon until well past sundown, fight after fight rattled the walls of Kezar. But when the two Jonathans touched gloves in the amateur main event, the building felt like it had turned into a time machine—back to an era when combat was raw, pure, and carried the scent of old Boxiana and Pancratia. It was the kind of bout Pierce Egan might have written about had he been seated ringside, notebook in hand. The Turning Point There was a moment in the third and final round when Burdick’s neck was caught in a rear naked choke hold. To the uninitiated, it looked final. The hold was locked, the crowd leaned forward, and Morales tightened the grip. But Burdick, true to the mongoose spirit—slippery, cunning, and unyielding—found air where none seemed possible. In a flash, he reversed the position, escaped, and reminded everyone in the building that resilience is as much a weapon as fists or kicks. From there, the fight surged with pace—jabs and straights, slashing leg kicks, body slams that would have been outlawed in boxing rings but are poetry in MMA cages. It was not just a contest between two men but a clash of eras: a seasoned craftsman against a hungry apprentice. 
A Fighter’s Farewell When the decision was announced and Burdick’s hand was raised, the belt was placed around his waist—but he didn’t keep it long. In a deeply touching gesture, he took it off and presented it to his parents, with his mother Kimberly and his family right there beside him. It was a moment that said more than any post-fight speech: fighting is never a solitary act, and victories belong to everyone who carries you through the struggle. That moment carried special meaning for me. Kimberly Burdick has been my colleague for more than twenty years, and I have witnessed her quiet strength and grace firsthand. Her son Jon now works alongside me at the hospital in Fremont, where the fight is different but no less vital. To see Kimberly and the family ringside—beaming with pride, sharing in Jonathan’s farewell—was to understand that the Burdick story is about family as much as it is about fighting. 
Kezar Pavilion—an indoor arena built in 1924—has long been a home for San Francisco’s prizefighters, basketball players, and community events. Its walls have seen neighborhood tournaments, Filipino-American boxing cards, and decades of grassroots athletics. Just outside its doors rises Kezar Stadium, the open-air coliseum where the San Francisco 49ers played their very first NFL seasons. Generations of football fans once filled its stands, and legends of the gridiron left their footprints on that field. Where the Stadium roared with football, the Pavilion pulsed with the sounds of fists, sneakers, and the cheers of smaller but no less passionate crowds. On this night, it was the Pavilion’s turn again. The chants of 1,500 fight fans rattled its rafters as Jonathan Burdick battled for more than a belt. Another chapter was written into the old hall’s story: the night The Mongoose ended his cage career not with regret, but with victory, dignity, and his family at his side. A Mark That Lasts Burdick leaves the cage with an amateur winning record of 8-3, ranked among the top bantamweights in California and the West Coast. He has been bloodied, tested, and crowned. But more importantly, he has shown what it means to pursue combat not for ego, but for love—for the craft, the discipline, and the people who stand behind you. 
And as if to seal his story into something larger than one night or one belt, Burdick fought this last bout wearing the logo of the Philippine Boxing Historical Society and Hall of Fame on his shorts. A nod to heritage, history, and the unbroken chain of fighters who came before him. Here’s to Jonathan Burdick, RRT—fighter, martial artist, registered respiratory therapist. A mongoose who struck with speed, endured with courage, and one who leaves the octagon with pride, dignity and most importantly health intact. 
Island City Jiu Jitsu Team | 2318 Central Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 
(L-R) Jonathan “Mongoose” Burdick and One Aspiring Writer: Keep Punchin’ Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.  |
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