By Derek Bonnett: In boxing, the different between winning and losing often comes down to a matter of a few key punches in a few key rounds. One fighter may press the action and throw more actively, but be outshined by a less active fighter’s accuracy. Sometimes it goes the other way. Quite frankly, you never know what you are going to get once the verdict of the bout goes to the hands of the three officials scoring from ringside. Usually, they get it right, but sometimes we end up with verdicts like Paul Williams winning a majority decision over Erislandy Lara or Robert Helenius receiving a split verdict over Dereck Chisora. In the case of recently rejuvenated junior middleweight contender Delvin Rodriguez, he’s been fighting fighters so closely since 2008, the outcomes of his bouts were best decided by a flip of a coin. Sometimes he got the right call; sometimes he received the short end.
Since 2008, Delvin Rodriguez, a Dominican fighter based out of Danbury, CT, has gone 3-3-2. In those eight bouts Rodriguez never looked to be the loser, but he rarely appeared to be an outright winner. Score one round differently and he defeats Isaac Hlatshwayo in an IBF welterweight title eliminator. Do the same for his 2009 contest against Shamone Alvarez and Delvin goes home a beaten man. The same could be said for his epic 2011 first encounter with Pawel Wolak, which should be a lock for Fight of the Year. However, the rematch was an entirely different story. There was no tension as the judges tallied their scores or as the ring announcer read them. At 31, Rodriguez possesses greater awareness of where he stands in the ring and who not to rely upon to make the right decision in a close fight. In his second go with Wolak, he left them no choice.
Rodriguez delivered a near virtuoso performance in dominating Wolak for a lopsided unanimous decision on the undercard of the December 3 rematch between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. If it wasn’t for Cotto’s magnificent showing in the main event, Delvin would have received fighter of the night honors across the board. Wisely, both men adjusted their games based off something they learned from the first encounters.
"I fought in a lower position just like we practiced in camp," Rodriguez explained. "I was able to deliver my punches and combos harder. [Wolak] was thinking twice about getting inside. After the second round when he started to feel the strong uppercut, he was hesitating to get close. Cotto did just what I thought he would do: box circles around Margarito. I’m glad he did. I’m not a fan of Margarito at all."
After a one year layoff, Rodriguez managed to fight Wolak on even terms back in July. Even still, after giving away many early rounds, he battered the popular Polish contender until he resembled Quasimodo. It should have appeared obvious going into the rematch, that Delvin had greater opportunity to learn from their ten round draw. He couldn’t afford another narrow verdict to go against him the way it did against Rafal Jackiewicz or Ashley Theophane.
"I knew that I was fighting under his promoter’s show," Rodriguez stated. "I was the underdog so we worked very hard to perform the way [I did] leaving no doubt in anybody’s mind, especially the judges. This win is a great achievement for me and my team. Keep in mind that we have only been together for six months. I’m very happy about it."
Rodriguez-Wolak I became an instant classic due to the match’s sheer brutality. The rematch was pleasing for the exhibition of ring generalship. Before Pawel Wolak surprisingly announced his retirement four days later, some fight fans were ready for a trilogy. However, even if Wolak had decided differently, Rodriguez had other plans.
"No third fight," Rodriguez asserted. "I want to go forward to bigger and better things. I want to fight top guys now; I put in my work. I fought once for the title, but now I’m a different fighter all the way around. I am stronger than ever with a great team behind me. I am very confident that I will be the junior middleweight champ soon."
While the Dominican Republic produces professional baseball players at the rate of an assembly line, it has not offered nearly as much standout talent to professional boxing. Fourteen Dominican men have ascended to the height of world champion in boxing history. Names such as Carlos Teo Cruz, Agapito Sanchez, Hector Acero-Sanchez, Joan Guzman are among the best in this nation has had to offer. Yet, there is no clear number one fighter from Dominican Republic pound for pound. Rodriguez, who will never be mistaken as an all-time great in the sport, still has time to become one of the best fighters ever to come from his homeland.
"In order to do this, I must keep looking impressive and get the world title. I know I have it in me to be the world champion, but this win just gives me and my fans more confidence," Rodriguez stated.
Rodriguez just might be the next of a long line of fighters to reach a level greater than he was expected due to a harsh education of bruising ring experience. Never in a bad fight, Delvin Rodriguez has fought a myriad of ten and twelve round bouts against experienced world class opposition. He’s won some, he’s lost others. However, he’s always deserved respect for his efforts and he’s absolutely paid his dues to the sport. Even if the world title win doesn’t come around for him, Rodriguez will always have his first fight with Pawel Wolak. After all, fewer fighters can say they put on the Fight of the Year than can say they have put on a world title strap.
Cornelius "K-9" Bundrage, Austin Trout, and Saul Alvarez -- all noble champions -- should consider Delvin Rodriguez a formidable threat to their reigns.
For further boxing discussion, contact Derek DBO Bonnett on Facebook or at
mabfan@comcast.net.
Subscribe to feed
