Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez looked sensational last night in making the slick and tricky Sunny Edwards look like a man in survival-mode during their flyweight unification showdown. Rodriguez was far too strong, far too powerful, and far too good for the previously unbeaten Brit, a boxer who has a hard to hit style that can prove to be a nightmare for his opponent. But last night it was Edwards who had the nightmare, being punished and stopped as he was in the ninth round. Edwards, now 21-1(4) had talked a lot of trash before the fight, and Bam made him pay.
Now, as special as he is, big things are expected of Rodriguez, 19-0(12). As in really big things.
When a fighter is as good as Rodriguez is, and he’s still just 23 years of age, some risky match making gets suggested, fights get spoken of that will bring out the best in the star in the making, the great in the making. And Bam, who previously won a world title up at super flyweight, is going back up for his next fight, and beyond.
How far, as in how high, can the 5’4.5” Rodriguez go?
There is talk of Bam facing Juan Francisco Estrada next, the 115 pound champion from Mexico a most interested ringside observer at last night’s fight. While Bam could also face Junto Nakatini of Japan, who also holds a belt at 115 pounds. And there is now some chatter about a potential super fight down the road between….get this, Bam and Naoya Inoue! Now what a battle of little giants that one would be, if it could be made.
Too big a jump for Rodriguez? Maybe. “The Monster” is as we know currently operating at super bantamweight, 122 pounds, and the Japanese superstar may elect to go up to 126 next year (a lot will of course depend on how Inoue gets on in his four-belt unification clash with Marlon Tapales on Boxing Day). Inoue may be too big for Bam, but it is worth remembering how Inoue began collecting world titles down at 108 pounds. Also, Inoue, at 5’5” on the nose, is only a fraction taller than Rodriguez. Again, what a fight this one could be. Maybe.
Before last night’s fight, Bam stated that he has yet to find his ideal weight class, with him also saying that he wants to win world titles in as many as six weight divisions. Bam has already captured belts at 112 and 115, so does this suggest his goal, in theory, means he plans to eventually go as far as, or as high as, 130 pounds!?
All of this will be some years down the road, but again, Bam has so much time on his side at age 23. A future six-weight world champ? A future dance partner for “The Monster?” A future all-time great? Bam Rodriguez sure has got a lot of people talking about a lot of exciting possibilities.