Delvin Rodriguez Defeats Shamone Alvarez In a Title Eliminator Bout Friday Night

Delvin Rodriguez defeats Shamone Alvarez in a title eliminator bout Friday night on ESPN's Friday Night Fights at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.

The official score cards of the judges had it 115 to 112 and two other judges had the same score card at 114 to 113 all to Rodriguez.

The fight was real close and Teddy Atlas had it at an even draw for the majority of the fight.

In about the 9th round Rodriguez complained to his corner that his right wrist was broken and was forced to continue fighting on with his left hand. His trainer Lou Fusco suggested faking a punch with his right as a decoy to set up following up with his left.

Between rounds the ringside medical doctor had visited Rodriguez's corner and asked Rodriguez several times directly if he was hurt and able to continue on with the fight with his broken wrist. Rodriguez showed the true heart of a champion and made it clear that he was ok and willing to fight despite his right wrist.

Rodriguez showed the most heart possible when in the 11th round he threw a jab at Alvarez and then a straight right hand that floored Alvarez to the canvas sealing him the victory for the ever close fight with the knockdown.

Rodriguez had much to prove in this title eliminator welter weight fight for he has still been battling with the psychological after math of sending his previous opponent Oscar Diaz into a coma last July and then fighting to a controversial draw with Isaac Hlatshwayo last November.

Reports are indicating that welter weight champions Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey are in serious talks for a unification fight in June at Madison Square Garden. This would be in Rodriguez best interest for his wrist injury to heal until then.

ESPN's Friday Night Fights returns March 20th with Bernard Hopkins sitting Ringside as a commentator.