Joseph Adorno hopes to turn things around in Bethlehem

Allentown native Joseph Adorno returns on Friday night near his hometown at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem in an eight-round junior welterweight bout against an opponent to be named later.

Adorno (19-4-2, 16 KOs) is coming off a first-round knockout of Pablo Ernesto Oliveto in July and is hoping to put a winning streak together.

The 25-year-old has lost three of his last five fights, but he has ability.

If you look at his resume, it’s pretty good. Adorno has been in with the likes of Elvis Rodriguez, Edwin De Los Santos, Michel Rivera, Hugo Alberto Roldan, and Jamaine Ortiz; he’s been competitive in those fights, including a win over Roldan and a majority draw against Ortiz.

However, his last loss to the 38-year-old Nicholas Walters by unanimous decision, who recently returned to the sport after retiring in 2016, was inexcusable.

Adorno has to let his hands go, and far too often, he has not let his hands go in his fights. Fortunately, he’s young and has time to turn things around, and that turnaround, hopefully for him, continues in Bethlehem on Friday. 

In the main event on Friday,  Matt Conway and James Bernadin duel in an eight-round bout for the WBA Regional Lightweight title.

Conway, 29, of Pittsburgh, has a record of 22-4 with nine knockouts. The nine-year vet has defeated Zach Kuhn (9-2-1), Victor Abreu (9-2), and Adriano Porfirio Ramirez (10-1). Conway is looking to get back in the win column after losing a decision to Hendri Cedeno on May 31st in Orlando, Florida.

Bernadin of Lancaster, PA, is 12-2-1 with six knockouts. The 31-year-old Bernadin is a six-year professional who has garnered wins over Osvaldo Morales (4-0), Edgar Torres (8-2-1), Kenny Robles (9-1), and his most recent outing when he took a split decision over Johnny Spell (8-1) on April 5th at The Wind Creek Event Center.

In an eight-round co-feature, undefeated middleweight Euri Cedeno (9-0-1, 8 KOs) of Reading, PA, takes on Aro Schwartz (23-8-1, 15 KOs) of Karlsruhe, Denmark.

Also in eight-round bouts, Julian Gonzalez (14-0-1, 11 KOs) of Reading, PA, battles Oscar Barajas (7-9-1, 2 KOs) of Toms River, NJ, in a super featherweight bout.

Brittany Sims (6-3, 3 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA will take on Nancy Franco (19-20-2, 5 KOs) of Jalisco, Mexico in a bantamweight bout.

In six-round bouts:

Francis Oran (5-1, 2 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA, fights Ali Ellis (5-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a cruiserweight fight.

Khainell Wheeler (7-5, 6 KOs) of Allentown, PA, takes on an opponent to be named in a super middleweight contest.

In four-round bouts, Devon Young (4-0, 3 KOs) of Atlanta squares off with Joseph Bonos (0-6) of Orlando in a heavyweight bout.

In a “Bethlehem Heavyweight Championship” battle, Adam Atiyeh (1-0) takes on Mike Liberto.