LAS VEGAS – Lindolfo Delgado had to survive a scare, but he will now get his chance at a world title shot after securing a majority decision win over Elvis Rodriguez here at the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort on Saturday night.

The scores were 95-95 and 96-94 (twice) for Delgado.

The win now makes Delgado mandatory for the WBC junior welterweight title currently held by Alberto Puello.

As for Saturday’s co-main fight, the two counterpunchers were not eager to engage early. Delgado pressed the action in Round 3 as Rodriguez sought to land a right hook over Delgado’s jab. Rodriguez, a 29-year-old from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, threw his left hand more in Round 4, but Delgado matched him with his straight right. By the fifth, Rodriguez had redness below his left eye.

The second half of the fight saw Delgado continue to press forward and punch more, while Rodriguez continued to try to find a home for his right hook. Rodriguez threw a hard straight left hand that didn’t appear to land but showed variety toward the end of the round. Delgado continued to push the pace, as both were content to wait for an opportunity to land something big. Delgado’s face began to show redness as Rodriguez landed straight left hands and right hooks in the seventh round. Rodriguez entered the eighth with the most momentum of the bout. 

The fight was beginning to transition Rodriguez’s way, as he was landing the more accurate blows. Delgado was pressing the action and busier – though not by a landslide.

With the fight in the balance, Rodriguez, who had noticeable swelling around his eye, began to box off his back foot, impacting Delgado’s ability to be effective. In the ninth round, Rodriguez landed a straight left hand that rocked Delgado back into the ropes and left him on unsteady legs. Rodriguez went back to his corner amped up, urging the crowd on.

In the 10th and final round, after enduring his worst round of the fight, Delgado started with urgency and pressed the action all the way. At the final bell, both fighters raised their hands, believing they had won the fight.

The bout, originally listed on the bout sheet as an IBF and WBC junior welterweight eliminator, on fight night was billed as a WBC junior welterweight eliminator only.

Delgado stayed unbeaten, improving to 23-0 (16 KOs), while Rodriguez lost a heartbreaker to drop to 17-2-1 (13 KOs).

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.