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There was by no means a doubt in Jesse Rodriguez’s thoughts {that a} leap of religion—and one division up the size—would finish together with his first main title win.
It labored out precisely that method, with the unbeaten San Antonio native claiming the vacant WBC junior bantamweight title with a twelve-round win over former champion Carlos Cuadras this previous February 5 at Footprint Heart in Phoenix, Arizona. The win got here in a struggle he accepted on simply six days’ discover, transferring up from a beforehand scheduled regional flyweight title struggle on the undercard to interchange an in poor health Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43KOs).
Twelve rounds later, Rodriguez breathed new life right into a junior bantamweight division boasting elite stage expertise however whose prime gamers are on the tail finish of their prime or additional of their respective careers. At simply 22 years of age, the supremely gifted boxer-puncher referred to as ‘Bam’ knew {that a} three-pound soar on quick discover was little greater than an funding into his long-term imaginative and prescient.
“I’m right here to turn into an all-time nice, not simply one other champion,” Rodriguez advised BoxingScene.com. “That chance introduced itself when it did so we took it. We gained the title at 115 however we do have plans of selecting up titles at 112, perhaps turning into undisputed.
“After that, who is aware of. I’m solely 22, my physique continues to be rising. Actually, I may see myself successful titles at 122 and perhaps even 126. The WBC belt at 115 is only the start of my profession.”
The title win for Rodriguez additionally got here simply two weeks after getting into a promotional pact with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, who joined forces with Rodriguez’s present promoter Teiken Promotions this previous January.
The unbeaten Texan was already recognized all through the trade as the way forward for the beginning, maybe the standout expertise in a fitness center filled with champions guided by the famend Robert Garcia. Rodriguez first appeared on a Matchroom present in February 2020, becoming a member of stablemate Mikey Garcia on a present within the larger Dallas space. Rodriguez and Garcia additionally shared a invoice final October in Fresno, by which level he was already in excessive demand by his present co-promoter.
Saturday will mark Rodriguez’s second official struggle below the steerage of Matchroom Boxing. In a matchup that comes full circle, Rodriguez faces Sor Rungvisai in his first title protection this Saturday from Tech Port Enviornment in his San Antonio hometown (DAZN, 8:00 p.m. ET).
Sor Rungvisai is a former lineal and two-time WBC junior bantamweight champion who continues to be considered as among the many finest within the division. The Thai southpaw is a part of the junior bantamweight Fab 4 that features Cuadras, lineal/WBA champ Juan Francisco Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) and legendary former four-division champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (51-3, 41KOs). Sor Rungvisai is 3-2 towards the trio and is the one fighter to not solely beat Gonzalez twice but in addition knock out the long run Corridor of Famer, doing so of their September 2017 rematch.
Collectively, the quartet has mixed for ten fights courting again to 2014. Rodriguez has now entered the combination and is in prime place to run the tables.
“I like Bam, I believe he’s a star,” Hearn advised BoxingScene.com. “When you’ll be able to map out the way forward for a fighter like Bam Rodriguez—Bam fought Cuadras on six days’ discover and at a better weight. Now he’s combating Rungvisai.
Then, we will match him with Chocolatito, Estrada and Julio Cesar Martinez all back-to-back-to-back. That’s a fuckin’ pound-for-pound run.”
The plan sounds good to Rodriguez, even when he doesn’t get to all 4.
There’s a likelihood {that a} struggle with Gonzalez won’t ever see the sunshine of day. Each are promoted by Teiken and are shut sufficient to the place such a matchup can be a last-resort possibility if no different alternatives exist for both.
Estrada is locked right into a WBA title consolidation conflict with Rodriguez’s older brother, WBA ‘World’ titlist Joshua Franco. A date isn’t but set for the beforehand ordered struggle, although is anticipated to happen someday this summer time. Most specialists tab Estrada to emerge victorious, which might arrange one other terrific storyline for a future struggle with Rodriguez ought to all roads result in that second. Naturally, Rodriguez envisions a state of affairs the place Franco wins the struggle they usually in the end rule the junior bantamweight division collectively till one strikes up in weight.
For now, there exists the necessity for Rodriguez to maintain the road transferring and additional his personal legacy. Simply as he by no means gave a second thought to face Cuadras on quick discover, there was by no means a second of hesitation in operating head-in towards a harmful title protection versus a still-live former champion in Sor Rungvisai.
“I really imagine that is the hardest take a look at I may have taken for this struggle,” insists Rodriguez. “Most champions get to choose whoever they need for his or her first title protection and when it’s of their hometown.
“However I’m not right here to be simply one other champion, a mean fighter. I’m right here to depart a legacy behind as top-of-the-line. It’s going to be a troublesome struggle for so long as it lasts. He’s an ideal fighter, a former (two-time) world champion. These are the fights that result in these particular moments that outline your profession. That’s why I’m right here.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
