Bam Rodriguez turns to Vargas as undisputed bid is delayed

Rodriguez targets Antonio Vargas at bantamweight as IBF title situation delays undisputed plans at 115

Jesse Rodriguez is targeting WBA bantamweight champion Antonio Vargas for his next fight. The move pauses his undisputed run at 115 while the IBF title remains tied up.

That choice comes with a trade-off. Rodriguez had been working toward collecting all four belts at 115, but the IBF title remains tied up, with Willibaldo Garcia scheduled to defend against mandatory challenger Andrew Moloney next month. Rather than sitting idle while that fight plays out, Rodriguez is opting to stay active and chase another belt.

The approach fits how Rodriguez has been moving. He has built his recent run on activity and decisive results, stopping a string of former or current titleholders, including Sunny Edwards, Juan Francisco Estrada, Phumelela Cafu, and Fernando Daniel Martinez. Waiting for the division to clear would slow that pace, and his team appears unwilling to do that.

Vargas, 19-1-1 (11 KOs), offers a direct route into another title fight. He is aligned with Matchroom, the same promotional outfit as Rodriguez, which makes the matchup easier to put together compared to other options at bantamweight.

Arizona has been a regular stop for Rodriguez in recent years, where he defeated Carlos Cuadras in 2022, forced Edwards’ corner to retire him in 2023, and knocked out Estrada in 2024. Bringing the next fight there continues that pattern while keeping him in a market where he has already built momentum.

The longer-term plan has not changed. Rodriguez still intends to return to 115 and pursue the remaining belt once the Garcia-Moloney situation is settled. The difference is that he is choosing not to wait for it to line up, instead adding another title opportunity in the meantime.

If finalized, the Vargas fight would give Rodriguez a chance to become a three-division titleholder before circling back to complete the job he started at super flyweight.

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