By: Sean Crose
Boxing returned to the Armory in Minneapolis Saturday as Subriel Matias took on Jeremiah Ponce for the IBF junior welterweight title in the main event of a Showtime Broadcast card. First, however, the 17-1-2 Joseph Adorno took on the 13-1-1 Elvis Rodriguez in a junior welterweight affair set for 10 rounds.
It’s never a good thing when fans start booing at the end of the first round, but there’s no doubt the opening chapter was a slow affair as Adorno and the southpaw Rodriguez felt each other out. By the third round it was clear that the fighters were more eager to give looks than throw punches with any level of consistency. Someone would have to take a risk or the entire fight would become a snooze fest. Boxing requires participants to throw punches, after all.
By the midway point of the fight, it was clear that it might not be an entertaining affair. Yet it wasn’t a masterful showcase of the sweet science either. Although each man, Rodriguez particularly, would try to make things happen, neither man was doing anything of note. Again, fighters are supposed to engage effectively, even defensive minded fighters.
The seventh saw Adorno land well on several occasions. That didn’t keep Rodriguez from finally landing a menacing combo on the man later in the round. Adorno beat the count, then engaged in a punch fest with the determined Rodriguez. A fight had finally broken out. Rodriguez was able to tag his man hard again at the end of the eighth. Adorno may not have employed a thrilling strategy, but he was unquestionably tough as nails. Rodriguez connected powerfully at times throughout the ninth. He was clearly in control of the fight at that point and was hoping to put in the work to take Adorno out. Yet Adorno still held strong and kept fighting.
The tenth and final round, like much of the later half of the fight, had random moments of action. To his credit Rodriguez was trying to close the show, but Adorno remained stubborn. Adorno went down in the final minute, but got up, appearing unhurt and complaining that it was a slip – which it may have been. With that in mind, it was Rodriguez who was able to leave the ring afterwards with a decision win.