By Jake Donovan
Mexican journeyman Edel Ruiz scored his biggest win in years a Friday evening with a fourth round upset knockout of former super bantamweight titlist Clarence “Bones” Adams.
The bout served as the Telemundo-televised main event, airing live from the Miccosukee Gaming Resort in downtown Miami.
Ruiz set the tone from the outset, taking the fight to Adams, fighting for the fifth time since returning to the ring in 2006. A right hand rocked the Kentucky-bred veteran in the opening round, with his night never really getting much better.
Both fighters enjoyed moments of success in the second round, perhaps the only frame in which Adams proved to be competitive. Ruiz turned up the heat in the third round, scoring with a combination upstairs, only for his momentum to be slowed by a low blow that bought Adams additional time.
The makeshift time out didn’t change his luck any; Ruiz went on the attack, nearly leaving Adams out on his feet with a three-punch combo along the ropes. Adams rode out the storm, but was a dead man walking for much of the fourth round.
The beginning of the end came with a right hand shot to the temple, leaving Adams on rubber legs. A subsequent flurry drove him backwards, stumbling into the ropes, prompting the referee to call a mandatory eight count.
Adams was all heart in his efforts to continue, fighting back as well as he could with whatever he had left. Sadly, there wasn’t enough left in his 35-year old body to fend off what the resurging Ruiz had to offer. A dozen or so head shots sent Adams reeling to his knees for the second knockdown of the round.
Once again, Adams took the count and tried his damnest to fight on, but had nothing left as Ruiz went in for the kill. A right hand and left hook rocked Adams, prompting referee Frank Santore Jr to intervene and rescue Adams from taking further unnecessary punishment.
The official time was 1:53 of round four.
Ruiz advances to 34-22-4 (25KO) with the win his fourth straight. It’s the longest winning streak he’s enjoyed in more than a decade, having only won 10 fights in the past nine years before making a habit of it over the course of the past 10 months.
The news is nowhere nearly as good for Adams, who falls to 44-7-4 (20KO). It’s his first loss since returning to the ring in 2006, having went 3-0-1NC against competition similar to Ruiz before falling way short on Friday evening.
Having turned pro in 1990 at just 15 years of age, Adams saw his career come full circle with a huge upset win over Nestor Garza in March 2000 for his lone major alphabet title. He defended the belt twice before dropping a pair of decisions to Paulie Ayala – one controversial, the second more decisive.
A loss to Guty Espadas and a draw to Manuel Sanabria left him winless in four fights, prompting a break in his career before returning in 2006.
Though 35 is hardly considered ancient by the sport’s current standards, it’s clear that Adams is on his last lap as a professional. It hasn’t been a career destined for Canastota, but certainly with its share of respectable moments over the past 20 years.
There was a point where retirement seemed to be the smartest option for Ruiz, but Friday’s performance keeps his career afloat long enough to earn at least one more televised payday.
Bantamweight gatekeeper William Gonzalez was victorious in the televised co-feature, scoring an early knockdown en route to a wide decision win over Jesus Vazquez.
An early exit was anticipated in a bout between two punchers with shaky chins. It never came; however, this one was all one way, with Gonzalez controlling the action from the outset.
The Nicaraguan appeared to score a knockdown in the opening frame, only for the referee to rule it a slip. One came for sure in the second, when a pair of body shots forced Vazquez to a knee for a mandatory eight count.
To his credit, Vazquez attempted to make a fight of it upon rising to his feet, enjoying moments of success later in the round as well as in the next three frames. It was as good as it would get for the Mexican, as Gonzalez took over for good in the sixth and never looked back.
His dominance was reflected on the final scorecards, winning by lopsided margins of 117-110 and 119-108 (twice).
Gonzalez improves to 24-3 (20KO), scoring his third straight win. His last loss came in a nip and tuck affair with then-bantamweight titlist Joseph Agbeko more than 14 months ago.
Vazquez heads back to Mexico with his third loss in five fights, falling to 19-4-1(17KO).
The show was presented by All-Star Boxing.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com .