Duno vs Rodriguez results: Romero Duno scrapes by Juan Antonio Rodriguez by technical decision

Another episode of Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights is in the books, and once again we got an entertaining night of fights, this time from Indio, California.

In the lightweight main event, 23-year-old Filipino Romero Duno just scraped past tough Mexican southpaw Juan Antonio Rodriguez, winning a technical split decision in a fight that was stopped in the ninth round due to an accidental headbutt.

Scores were 85-84 and 86-84 for Duno, and 85-84 Rodriguez. Bad Left Hook had the fight 85-84 for Rodriguez when it was stopped.

This was a hell of a battle, especially in the early rounds, and when it was stopped had settled in as a tough war of attrition. Duno (20-1, 15 KO) started well enough, landing the harder shots in the first couple of rounds, but the 31-year-old Rodriguez battled back into things, warring with the younger man and giving him some very hard rounds of work.

Duno repeatedly strayed low in the fight, and in the seventh round, referee Raul Caiz Sr took a point from him. But Duno got that point back in the eighth round, dropping Rodriguez on a body shot. It was pretty crazy that Rodriguez even got up and fought on, but he did, albeit certainly looking worse for wear.

When the fight was stopped in the ninth, Rodriguez was starting to look pretty ragged, but he still had an argument for the win. Judges saw it for Duno.

Duno won the NABO lightweight title with this, which means he’ll surely pop into the WBO rankings at 135 pounds soon enough. It’s a tough setback for Rodriguez (30-8, 26 KO), but after his March upset for Mercito Gesta on this series, and another tremendous action showing here, I’m guessing we’ll see him again. This is a guy who could have a run as a real gatekeeper type if nothing more.

Manny Robles III SD-10 Rigoberto Hermosillo

Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos/Golden Boy

Robles got the duke on scores of 94-95, 96-93, and 97-92. I edged it to Robles 95-94, the difference for me winding up being a first round knockdown that took an extra point for Hermosillo, but I really hate that 97-92 Robles card.

Robles (18-0, 8 KO) has had two straight performances that just weren’t so great. The 24-year-old featherweight prospect is skilled, but he’s the type of young fighter you can’t help but feel is going to be found out before he really hits the top levels. He was more accurate and the clearly more skilled fighter here, but Hermosillo (11-1-1, 8 KO) was able to give him real problems. It also has to be said that this was a really good fight, an aggression vs technique matchup that came down to the wire. Check it out if you have the time.

Genaro Gamez TKO-1 Daniel Evangelista

Evangelista (20-10-2, 16 KO) is a decent journeyman type, the sort of guy Gamez (9-0, 6 KO) should be fighting still. Gamez wiped him out, though, dropping him two times and finishing him off at 2:43 of the first round. Gamez, who turns 24 in July, hadn’t fought in 13 months. He says he can make 135 for a title fight — he’s a long way off from a title fight — but realistically he’s going to settle in at 140, probably. He’s a talented guy who has pop.

Prelim results

• Carlos Morales TKO-5 Pedro Navarrete: Morales (18-4-3, 7 KO) is a 29-year-old guy who’s been on shows like this for years now, decent enough fighter at his level, is what he is. He pressured Navarrete (30-24-3, 19 KO) until the referee stopped it. Navarrete, 37, is WBO super bantamweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete’s uncle, and Emanuel was in the corner. In a mildly funny moment after the fight, before the decision was announced, the ring announcer pointed out Emanuel who was helping his uncle get his gloves off. Emanuel briefly waved.
• Sean Garcia RTD-2 Martin Cardona: Garcia is the 18-year-old younger brother of #teen boxing sensation Ryan Garcia. Sean looked like he had some promise here, going to 4-0 (2 KO. Cardona, 29, drops to 26-20 (18 KO).
• Diuhl Olguin MD-6 Tenochtitlan Nava: Scores were 57-57, 58-56, and 59-55. Minor upset here, as Olguin (14-12-3, 9 KO) is a club fighter type and Nava (7-2, 1 KO) was at one point at least a minor prospect, if not a blue chipper or anything. But this is two straight losses for Nava, who hadn’t fought since Jan. 2018. People have certainly come back from 7-2 type career starts to become contenders and even titleholders, but it’s not likely.
• Joshua Kevin Anton TKO-2 Lashawn Alcocks: Was the pro debut for 20-year-old welterweight Anton. Alcocks is now 1-6 (0 KO).