Jamaican boxer Nicholas Walters defeated Joseph Adorno on a split decision in Plant City Wednesday night to be crowned World Boxing Association Continental Americas lightweight champion.

At 38 years of age and with only two fights made during 2023 after a 7-year absence from the ring, the Panama-based Jamaican, Walters, starred in the headlining fight against 24-year-old American Joseph Adorno. 

Walters debuted in 2008 with a victory after an outstanding amateur career and with his technical boxing of distance and speed he managed to become WBA featherweight world champion on December 8, 2012 in Kingston, Jamaica against Daulis Prescott whom he defeated by technical knockout in the seventh round. 

He made 2 defenses until he faced the renowned Nonito Donaire, whom he also defeated by the same way but in the sixth round to win the WBA super featherweight title. 

On November 26, 2016, the fight against the new star, the Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko, this was the first and only defeat of Walters’ career. After that, he was just completely absent. 

Far from showing the heaviness of the passage of time, Walters showed in Plant City a solid command of the ring with his legs keeping the middle distance, just right to cause complications to the local fighter with his Jab of constant action. 

A good comeback for the world champion who now has a total of 29 wins with 22 knockouts, 1 loss and 1 draw.