By: Sean Crose
Boxing returned to the Armory in Minneapolis on Saturday when Subriel Matias took on Jeremiah Ponce for the IBF junior weight title in the Showtime Broadcast tag main event. First, however, Joseph Adorno 17-1-2 faced Elvis Rodriguez 13-1-1 in a 10-round junior welterweight match.
It’s never a good thing when fans start booing at the end of the first half, but there’s no doubt the opening chapter is slow as Adorno and male player Rodriguez get annoyed with each other. By the third round, it was clear that the fighters were more eager to perform than to throw punches with any degree of consistency. Someone will have to take the risk or the whole fight will turn into a snooze festival. After all, boxing requires participants to throw punches.
By the middle of the fight, it was clear that it might not be an entertaining affair. However, it’s also not a great introduction to sweet science. Although each man, especially Rodriguez, would try to make things work, none of them did anything remarkable. Again, fighters are said to engage effectively, even defensively minded fighters.
The seventh saw Adorno land well on many occasions. That didn’t stop Rodriguez from finally unleashing a threatening combo on the man later in the round. Adorno beats the count, then participates in a fistfight with the determined Rodriguez. A war finally broke out. Rodriguez was able to beat his man again late in the eighth inning. Adorno may not adopt a thrilling strategy, but there is no doubt that he is as tough as a nail. Sometimes Rodriguez connects strongly throughout season nine. He was clearly in control of the fight at the time and was hoping to make an effort to take down Adorno. However, Adorno remained strong and continued to fight.
The tenth and final innings, like most of the latter part of the match, have moments of random action. To give credit, Rodriguez tried to end the performance, but Adorno persisted. Adorno fell at the last minute, but got up, appeared uninjured and complained it was a slip – which it could have been. With that in mind, it was Rodriguez who could leave the ring later with a decisive victory.
