Joseph Adorno Scores Decision Win In ShoBox Main Event

On Friday night, Joseph Adorno got a narrow junior welterweight win over previously unbeaten Hugo Alberto Roldan in the Showtime “ShoBox Series” main event in Atlantic City, NJ.

Fighting at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino’s Grand Ballroom, site of the first ever ShoBox Broadcast more than 20 years ago, Adorno won by scores of 95-94, 95-94, 95-94 to get his hand raised.

.@_blessedhands got the edge over Roldan in tonight’s main event 👏🏽#AdornoRoldan #SHOBOX pic.twitter.com/ZjmhWzMhO5

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) September 10, 2022

Adorno recorded a knockdown in the second round and built an early lead, but the bigger Roldan of Argentina, who was fighting for the first time in the United States, rallied late to make it close.

“I feel like all the hard work I put in since I was a little kid is finally starting to pay off and coming all together,” said Adorno, who took the fight with Roldan on four weeks notice after Shinard Bunch withdrew from the main event. “I did lose a little love for boxing for a while. But I’m proud. He was an awkward fighter. I took the fight on short notice. He’s a higher weight class than me.

I’m a 135-pounder. All the hard work pays off. I went through a lot in the ring tonight, as any fighter does. I hurt my hand. I got hit with a headbutt that almost closed my eye. But I overcame it all. I got what it takes. I can hang in there with the top guys. Give me a couple more fights and I’ll be ready for anybody.”

After losing a competitive decision to lightweight contender Michel Rivera in March for the first loss of his career, Adorno (17-1-2, 14 KOs) won his third straight fight on Friday night, showing poise and composure in staving off Roldan, who sustained his first loss and fell to 21-1-1 with 7 KOs.

In the “ShoBox” Friday co-feature, Frency Fortunato showed off his boxing skills, power and grit to hold off a late rally from the well-conditioned and aggressive Bernard Angelo Torres to capture a split decision in a 10-round featherweight bout. Fortunato, who dropped the southpaw Torres in the fourth round, won by scores of 97-92, 95-94 and 94-95 to improve to 14-1 with 10 KOs while Torres suffered his first defeat and fell to 16-1 with 7 KOs.