(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Emmanuel “Salserito” Rodriguez hoped to revive his career in his headline fight on Saturday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, it was Connor Adaway from Plymouth, England, who secured a career-best win with an eight-round unanimous decision at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Adaway won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 (twice), improving his record to 9-2-1 (3 KOs).
Rodriguez, 32, from Newark, New Jersey, suffered his second consecutive loss, dropping his record to 15-3 (8 KOs). Moving up to 122 pounds after fighting most of his career as a bantamweight, Rodriguez showed flashes of his athleticism, but Adaway’s higher activity and punch volume gave him the edge throughout the fight.
Rodriguez now faces tough choices, having also lost a decision to Khalid Twaiti 10 months ago. For Adaway, this victory ends a two-fight winless streak that included a draw against unbeaten Fazil Juma in June and a close loss to Majid Karimi Poshtiri in February.
The event, promoted by R&B Promotions, also featured a six-round junior welterweight bout where “Dangerous” Danny Gonzalez and Rani Jalomo fought to a split draw. Gonzalez, 6-1-1 (6 KOs) from Iselin, New Jersey, displayed power and strong shots, while Jalomo, 7-0-1 (4 KOs) from Chicago, countered with quick flurries.
Justin Penaranda, a celebrated New Jersey amateur, earned a majority decision win over MMA pro Sebastian Ruiz in a four-round junior welterweight fight. Penaranda, 4-0 (3 KOs), of Bayonne, leveraged his experience to land clean power shots, overcoming Ruiz’s strong third round to secure the victory.
Brooklyn’s Christopher Houston, 2-0 and trained by Yoel Judah, dominated featherweight Muhammad Noori to score a decisive win. Houston used his height and reach advantage to control the fight, while Noori, 3-1 (1 KO), had limited success.
In junior middleweight action, Philadelphia’s Richard Johnson, 7-0 (3 KOs), delivered a standout performance, stopping British fighter Taylor Greig, 4-3 (1 KO), early in the second round. Johnson’s win marked his second six-round bout, while Greig fought for the first time since 2023.
The successful night sets the stage for R&B Promotions’ upcoming fourth event at the larger Mark Etess Arena on November 22.
