Lightweight Miguel Madueno got the biggest win of his career Wednesday, taking a split-decision victory over Justin Pauldo at the ProBox TV Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
The judges saw the bout 95-94, 94-95 and 97-92 for Madueno.
In the 10-round “Wednesday Night Fights” main event broadcast on ProBox TV, Madueno (31-2, 28 KOs) came out like a bull. He moved forward, throwing a solid right hand that unsettled his opponent early.
Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs), with trainer Ronnie Shields in his corner, landed a shot here and there but had trouble setting his feet against the hard-charging Madueno. Pauldo came around a bit in the second, as each fighter was able to land his own big shots in the last minute of the round.
By the end of the third, Madueno had blood leaking from a vertical cut above his left eye. Both fighters were looking to land a big punch, but neither seemed worked to set one up. Pauldo began landing enough heavy shots to slow Madueno’s forward advances.
With both fighters throwing hard shots, matching one another’s pace and effectively taking the other’s punches, the fight was competitive and entertaining. Madueno lost a point in the fifth round for punching behind the head. On the inside, Pauldo found a rhythm, landing damaging combination punches at the end of the round that began to turn the tide of the fight.
In the sixth, Pauldo landed a good jab at distance, but at times he was too inactive while waiting to counter. This opened the door for Madueno, who came charging forward. Pauldo looked a bit uncomfortable at the pace being set and Madueno’s unwillingness to stay at the end of his jab. At the end of Round 7, a frustrated Madueno stood in the middle of the ring and taunted Pauldo, enticing him to fight.
The fighters stood in the pocket in the eighth. Madueno was busy, but he was also getting hit with the cleaner shots. Pauldo landed a low blow on Madueno that halted the action for a brief period. When the fight continued, broadcaster Chris Algieri said it best: “Both men refused to give an inch.”
In the ninth, Pauldo pushed back on Madueno, closing the fight well. Fighting in spurts, Pauldo used his legs to frustrate his opponent. Madueno walked forward with his hands mockingly low, and Pauldo obliged him, landing shots at will.
At the final bell, the outcome was still up in the air. But even with Madueno having been penalized on the point deduction and essentially giving away the final round, he managed to eke out the win.