Tonight in Birmingham, UK, another Mexican warrior broke British hearts, as ultra-experienced former strawweight champ Francisco Rodriguez dished out quite a beating over the course of 12 exciting rounds to defeat Galal Yafai.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)
Rodriguez Dominates Yafai in UK
Experience, toughness, and all-around ability told the story tonight, as Rodriguez pounded Olympian and defending interim WBC flyweight champ Yafai over the course of 12 rounds. At the end, the scores told the story, with the Mexican winning via lopsided scores of 119-108, 119-108, and 118-109.
Rodriguez, who did everything but stop a truly game Yafai, is now 40-6-1(27), while Yafai loses for the first time in going 9-1(7).
It was a non-stop attack from Rodriguez from the very start, and Yafai was never allowed to get anything like a foothold in the fight. In fact, if it were not for the heart and grit Yafai showed tonight, he would almost certainly have been stopped.
As it was, Rodriguez rocked Yafai way more than once in the early going, and the local hero suffered a cut eye in the third, this from a clash of heads. The red-hot pace set by the Mexican was truly something, and Yafai, try as he did, was unable to cope.
In round six, Rodriguez also began to bleed, as his left eye was damaged. Round seven saw Yafai hit the deck, only for the third man to blow it by calling it no-knockdown. Prior to round nine, the doctor took a look at the cuts of both men, allowing the battle to continue.
Yafai Knocked Down in Final Round
Yafai, at times looking bewildered, at other times exhausted, showed real heart tonight, but he was decked – officially – in the final round. Rodriguez let loose with a salvo of shots, and down went the betting favourite. Yafai got up and he made it to the final bell, but he and everyone else knew he was a beaten man.
It was a good fight tonight, albeit a one-sided one, and Rodriguez again showed how NO Mexican fighter can ever be taken as anything other than a very dangerous test.
Yafai has quite the rebuild ahead of him now, even after just 10 pro starts.
