British welterweight Ashley Theophane cooked up a determined late rally on Friday night to snatch a majority decision victory from fancied contender Delvin Rodriguez over ten rounds at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma, USA.
In his two previous US fights on the same network, Theophane 27-4-1 (7) dropped a pair of close decisions to Frenchman Ali Oubaali and, more recently, against Danny Garcia. This evening, however, against a well-rounded and highly regarded contender, the British fighter had another bite of the apple to pitch his name into the mix at 147lbs.
Indeed, behind on the scorecards at the midway point, the Englishman completed a career-reviving upset victory by aggressively pursuing a tiring Rodriguez 25-5-2 (14) until the final bell to grasp victory by the narrowest of margins.
Both fighters competed at a brisk pace in the early going as they traded jabs, right hands and combinations in the first and second rounds. Rodriguez, an extremely solid boxer-puncher, looked like the stronger of the two and was able to force a game Theophane on the back foot regularly.
Theophane closed the distance in the third and enjoyed a better round – scoring well with both hands on the inside. Even so, Rodriguez continued to connect with the more eye-catching shots and strung together a thumping array of punches throughout a close three minutes.
Each of the middle rounds were almost a carbon copy of the other – well contested, fast paced but ultimately unspectacular. Rodriguez seemingly continued to enjoy the better of the action with a steady show of boxing with Theophane producing an honest effort but relying too heavily on wide punches – a majority of which did not find their target.
Largely in control, Rodriguez slipped a little in the seventh, stopped using his jab and allowed Theophane to score consistently on the inside. Buoyed by his success, Theophane emerged confidently for the eighth and stunned his opponent with a pair of left hooks as the tide began to turn.
Seemingly ahead on the scorecards, a suddenly tiring Rodriguez was forced to endure a gritty onslaught by Theophane over the last two rounds and looked ready to drop in the tenth and final round as the Londoner pressed forward.
Indeed, after biting down and refusing to allow Rodriguez’ early success to dishearten him, Theophane was rewarded for his gusto with a deserved majority decision victory.
Scores: 95-95; 96-94; 96-94
Undercard Report
Power-punching super middleweight prospect Don George suffered the first defeat of his professional career at the hands of Francisco Sierra by seventh round technical decision.
Sierra 22-3 (20) pummeled his man from the opening round until the end of the fight. After knocking down George 20-1-1 (17) in the seventh, Sierra blasted the American with a right hand after the bell sounded to end the round.
In no shape to continue, the contest was halted and Sierra was deducted two points. Still, though, the penalty was not enough to sway a lop-sided encounter in the favor of the previously unbeaten fighter and Sierra was awarded the upset victory.
George has undeniably been in with “soft” competition thus far in his career and in the first and second rounds it was clear that he had met more than his match against the strong Mexican. Sierra creamed the Chicago native with big shots to the head, wobbling the 25-year-old several times and causing blood to flow from both nostrils.
This was turning out to be a disastrous evening for George and he continued to eat solid punches in the third and fourth rounds. By the middle of the contest, his face was badly swollen, bruised and bloodied and, although he tried desperately hard to punch his way back into the fight, all of the damage was being done by Sierra.
The American’s face bordered on the grotesque by the seventh and, after being knocked down midway through the frame, he was crushed with a huge right hand just after the bell sounded. Thankfully, George’s corner elected not to send their man out for more punishment, forcing the referee, after consulting with the commission, to haul in the judge’s scorecards.
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