Vancouver boxer Virgil Green lost a unanimous decision to Moris Rodriguez on Saturday at Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale.
Green’s coaches thought he won the six-round fight for the Northwest Junior Welterweight Championship. Rodriguez, from Fresno, Calif., knocked down Green late in the first round with a punch that ultimately decided the fight.
“I completely understand Virgil thinking he won the fight. But I also understand why the other side won,” said Patrick Ortiz, who promoted the Rumble at the Reef XX.
The decisive blow came late in the first round of the six-round bout when Rodriguez landed a punch that sent Green to the canvas for the first time in his career. Leonard Gabriel, who manages and coaches Green at Fisticuffs Gym, said Green was really hurt by that punch and that he was worried about Green. But Gabriel said that by the middle of the second round, green started to assert himself.
The loss dropped Green’s professional boxing record to 8-3. But Ortiz said his performance might have helped Green despite the loss.
“The fight was very close. Virgil got knocked down in the first round and hurt very badly,” Ortiz said.
“He got up and he showed a lot of courage. He definitely proved he has heart.”
Ortiz said he thought Green won rounds three, four and five and that rounds two and six were close calls. Gabriel said that John Peters, Green’s cut man and coach, thought their fighter won four of the six rounds. Gabriel said he was surprised and disappointed when the unanimous decision was announced.
Gabriel said he is hoping for a rematch when Green next fights. That is scheduled to be on Nov. 7 at the Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, Ore. Ortiz, who is promoting that event, said he is hoping a rematch happens.
Gabriel said he thought Green won every round after the first, that Rodriguez was more beat up than Green by the end of the fight despite the early knockdown. Gabriel admitted that punch hurt Green.
To get beyond the regional circuit, Green needs to beat a tough, hard-hitting opponent such as Rodriguez, according to Ortiz. And to beat tougher opponents, Green needs to be ready from the opening bell, Ortiz said.
To counter his habit of starting a fight slowly, Gabriel said the plan going forward will be to warm up Green longer before his fights start.
“This is a minor setback,” Gabriel said. “I think Virgil can fight at the world class level. We just have to fine tune things.”
