Ginny Fuchs dealt with minor adversity to earn a win in the deepest fight of her young career.

The 35-year-old Houston-bred southpaw outpointed a relentless but unorthodox Indeya Rodriguez in her first eight round contest. Judges Keith Hughes (80-72), Keith Thibodeaux (80-72) and Larry Berger (79-73) all scored for Fuchs in their flyweight bout atop the DAZN ‘Before The Bell’ preliminary show Saturday from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Fuchs returned to the state where she first took up the sport during her sophomore year at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Her affinity for pirate culture earned her ‘Capt’n’ ring moniker, a title she literally enjoyed when she represented the United States during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The first sign of a tough night came late in the opening round. A clinch turned into a spill to the canvas when Rodriguez inadvertently lifted Fuchs off her feet but controlled her movement enough to gently deposit her to the canvas.

Fuchs pumped her jab and threw straight left hands behind it throughout the first two rounds. Rodriguez showed a sturdy chin and had plenty of energy to pressure Fuchs who neglected to target the body to slow down her determined foe over the course of the southpaw’s first eight-round contest.

Rodriguez validated her reputation as an opponent who is far better than suggested in her unflattering record. The New Orleans-born boxer was two fights removed from an upset win over former title challenger Sulem Urbina and proved every bit as tough in this bout.

Fuchs was forced to deal with a cut over her left eye from a clash of heads in round three. Rodriguez tried her luck and landed an overhand right directly on the wound in round four.

The second half of the bout saw Fuchs use more movement and work behind a heavy jab. Rodriguez continued to charge forward but her wide punches at close quarters resulted in frequent clinches.

Fuchs landed a straight left hand in the final minute of round seven, her first time going that far in her boxing lifetime. She was unable to follow up as he was sent to the canvas after tripping over Rodriguez’s left leg.

Both fighters were on the deck at the start of round eight, when Rodriguez charged in head-first but lost her balance. Fuchs (3-0, 1KO) did her best to fight off her back foot for the rest of the round, which produced success with her lead left hands against the sturdy chinned Rodriguez (6-8-2, 1KO).

Headlining the show, homegrown favorite Regis Prograis (28-1, 24KOs) will attempt the first defense of his WBC junior welterweight titlist Danielito Zorrilla (17-1, 13KOs). 

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox