Robert Garcia Picks Christian Medina Over Naoya Inoue For Bam Rodriguez’s Next Fight

The veteran trainer wants Rodriguez to remain at bantamweight and pursue a title unification bout before moving up again

Robert Garcia believes Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez should stay at bantamweight and fight WBO champion Christian Medina before pursuing a showdown with Naoya Inoue. Fresh off Rodriguez’s sixth-round stoppage of Antonio Vargas, Garcia said another title fight at 118 pounds would better prepare his fighter for the challenges ahead.

Robert has another name in mind for Rodriguez’s next assignment. Rather than pursuing a fight with Takuma Inoue, he identified WBO bantamweight champion Christian Medina as the opponent he would prefer Bam to face.

“I would prefer Medina because Medina is a very strong fighter and he’s going to give us a test,” Robert Garcia told DAZN. “Takuma is also a great fighter, but me personally, I would prefer Medina because he’s going to give us a test.”

Robert’s comments came after Rodriguez admitted he could feel the physical difference competing at bantamweight for the first time.

“After the fight, he did tell me, ‘Listen, I did feel the strength,'” Robert said. “He is a bigger guy, so why would we go straight into another division which is going to make a big difference? We’ve got to pace ourselves.”

Medina, 27-4 (19 KOs), claimed the WBO bantamweight title earlier this year and has emerged as one of the division’s more dangerous champions. A matchup between Medina and Rodriguez would give Bam the opportunity to unify titles in just his second fight at 118 pounds while also providing the type of challenge Robert believes is necessary before moving up again.

Bam, 22-0 (15 KOs), has been linked heavily with an eventual fight against undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue. However, Robert made it clear that he is in no rush to send his fighter directly into another weight class after Saturday’s victory.

There are also other considerations at play. The WBA has ordered Rodriguez to face champion-in-recess Seiya Tsutsumi within six months of winning the title from Vargas. Failure to satisfy that obligation could result in Bam being stripped of the belt.

Robert remains committed to keeping Bam at bantamweight a little longer, with Medina emerging as the opponent he believes could best prepare his fighter for the challenges ahead.

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