Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez 14-0 (10) has been gifted his first world title opportunity after former world champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai 50-5-1 (43) was forced to withdraw from his fight for the vacant WBC super flyweight title against Carlos ‘Principe’ Cuadras 39-4-1 (27) with a non-Covid related illness.
The 22-year-old southpaw from San Antonio, Texas will be moving up one weight division to face the formidable Cuadras of Mexico at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night live on DAZN.
Rodrguez signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing last week and was slated to appear on the undercard this weekend with a view to being position for a world title shot before the end of the year.
That opportunity has come sooner rather than later, but the Robert Garcia-trained Rodriguez believes he is ready now.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be fighting for the WBC world title,” said Rodriguez, whose brother is WBA ‘regular’ super flyweight titleholder Joshua ‘El Profesor’ Franco 18-1-2 (8).
“It’s always been a dream of mine to become world champion and that dream will become reality this weekend. I want to thank RGBA, Teiken, and Matchroom, without them this wouldn’t be possible. On Saturday night, San Antonio will have another world champion.”
Cuadras was aiming to repeat his victory over Rungvisai where he ripped the green and gold belt from the Thai star in May 2014 in his Mexico homeland, but now the 33-year-old refocuses on a new test in the young tyro Rodriguez.
It’s the second time that the Cuadras has tried to reclaim the throne and comes on the back of his last battle for the belt where he floored defending champion Estrada in the third round of his defence before the champion prevailed in Mexico in October 2020 – and he sends his well-wishes to his former foe while excited to still have the chance to become a world ruler again.
“I heard Rungvisai got sick, we arrived with my team last night to Phoenix, I hope he is stable and without complications,” said Cuadras.
“For my part, I’m ready and grateful with Teiken, Matchroom and the WBC for the opportunity to fight Jesse, who is a good fighter.”
Promoter Hearn was relieved the fight could be made at such short notice and says the winner could be in line to face the victor of the Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez 50-3 (41) vs Julio Cesar Martinez 18-1 (14) bout on March 5.
“Once again, my hat goes off to both Carlos, Jesse and their teams for making this happen,” said Hearn. “Both camps and fighters were quick to get this fight together after Srisaket was taken ill and unable to fight, and we wish him well.
“What a fight we have in prospect. Carlos has the chance to become a two-time world champion and eye up the winner of the Chocolatito-Martinez fight, and Jesse has been chomping at the bit to get a world title shot and victory on Saturday night catapults him into the mix for huge fights in 2022.”
