Fight fans were treated to a damn good action fight last night in Phoenix, while we also saw a superb winning performance from one of the sport’s hottest lower-weight ring warriors. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez delivered in style in his challenge of WBC 115-pound champ Juan Francisco Estrada, the 24-year-old becoming the first man to stop the teak-tough Mexican.
And, in what added further excitement to last night’s fight, Rodriguez had to get up from a (flash) knockdown to win. In his return to the 115-pound division, after unifying down at 112 pounds, “Bam” put on a performance that “unquestionably” makes him a pound-for-pound star. This is what promoter Eddie Hearn said after last night’s 7th-round body shot stoppage win for “Bam,” and plenty of us agree with him.
Rodriguez, 20-0(13) seems to be able to do it all: He can box, he can bang, he can take a good shot, he can hurt to the head and to the body, Rodriguez can go all night. Indeed, Rodriguez is a special fighter. So, what next?
Rodriguez, who may still be a couple of years from his absolute peak, has plenty of options. A return fight with Estrada, 44-4(28), is possible, as Estrada had a rematch clause in his contract going into last night’s fight, with the 34-year-old suggesting he intends to enforce it. Last night’s fight was good enough to warrant a part-two, even if “Bam” has other, more interesting options.
The big Dream Fight Rodriguez has spoken of is him taking on Japanese superstar and, for some, pound-for-pound No1 Naoya Inoue. This “Monster” of a fight could happen next year. Rodriguez would have to jump up two weight divisions to get it on with Inoue, the current unified champ at 122 pounds; that or a catch-weight showdown could take place. If “Bam” can put on the weight, remain effective, and not be compromised in speed and power, who knows, we could have an absolute classic fight of the future with Inoue Vs. Rodriguez.
In the meantime, Rodriguez could look to face the winner of the upcoming fight between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez, who fight in a two-belt unification clash next month. Maybe Rodriguez will look to unify the 115-pound division.
For now, the experts will have to decide where Rodriguez should be placed in the P-4-P charts.
“When you mention [Terence] Crawford, when you mention [Oleksandr] Usyk, when you mention [Naoya] Inoue in the pound-for-pound list, you better say those three special letters – ‘Bam,’ right?” Hearn said.
Right.
