Eddie Hearn insists Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is ready to fight Naoya Inoue in February or March, but trainer Robert Garcia has been asking for April or May. With Inoue preparing for a possible move to featherweight, Bam’s team needs to get its dates straight.
“Who’s waiting?” Hearn said on Instagram. “You said you are fighting in February/March? We are ready.”
That sounds definite. Garcia’s comments paint a less settled picture. He wants Rodriguez to face Christian Medina at bantamweight first, then pursue Inoue after getting another fight’s experience at 118.
“If Bam fights in December, let’s figure out April, May of next year, we could do it, and then he moves up,” Garcia told Fight Hub TV.
A month or two might seem easy to work around, but Inoue has already pushed back against waiting.
“I’m not gonna sit around waiting for Bam,” Inoue wrote on X. “So I’m starting prep for featherweight, too.”
Hearn’s response needs to be backed by a timetable Garcia is prepared to accept. Otherwise, declaring readiness does little to settle when Rodriguez will actually take the fight.
The proposed Medina bout would be a bantamweight unification, giving Bam something substantial to pursue in December. Garcia, though, also wants it to answer questions about Rodriguez handling a stronger puncher before moving to 122.
“I want Bam to feel punches, you know, block, be able to absorb some of those punches at 118 from a very strong fighter,” Garcia said.
That sounds more cautious than Hearn’s announcement. Garcia still wants proof that Bam can handle the physical step before facing Inoue.
Inoue hasn’t ruled out Rodriguez, but preparing for featherweight gives him another route. He has little reason to keep making 122 while Bam’s camp decides how much preparation is enough.
If Hearn’s February or March response represents the team’s agreed position, the dates may be closer than Garcia’s interview suggested. If Garcia still needs April or May, Hearn’s public confidence leaves the same question unanswered: when are they actually ready?