IBF and WBO flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez 19-0 (12) is ready to abandon his titles to pursue a fight against WBC super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada 44-3 (28) targeted for June.
The 24-year-old southpaw from San Antonio, Texas unified the titles at 112-pounds when he impressively defeated IBF beltholder Sunny Edwards 20-1 (4) by ninth-round stoppage in December.
Rodriguez burst onto the world scene when he jumped up two weight classes at late notice to outpoint Carlos Cuadras 42-5-1 (28) for the vacant WBC 115-pound title two years ago.
He proved this victory was no fluke by stopping former WBC super flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai 56-6-1 (46) in eight in June 2020.
After one more successful title defence against Israel Gonzalez 28-5-2 (11) on points followed three months later before Rodriguez dropped down in weight to contest the vacant WBO 112-pound title against Cristian Gonzalez 15-2-1 (5) last April.
The trip down to flyweight was always planned as a hit and run mission before reestablishing himself at super flyweight.
“He will never come back down again,” said Rodriguez’s trainer Robert Garcia to BoxingScene. “He did 112 to become champion, and then the fight against Sunny Edwards was a big fight for him and motivated him to do 112 again.
“‘Bam’ was not going to do 112 again after he won [against Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez, the WBO] title, but Sunny Edwards motivated him by talking a lot and pushing us to take the fight. That was why he stayed at 112, but after that, we knew that we would not stay at 112 anymore.
“Estrada has the WBC title at 115, so we will be moving up in weight to challenge Estrada for his belt.
“He [Bam] does not want to fight if it’s not Estrada, which will be for June if it comes off. However, things are looking good, and I am waiting for a phone call from Matchroom to tell me that Estrada has accepted the fight. I think it is going to be in Arizona.
“Right now, it is not finalised, but I am already on board with Matchroom for Jesse’s next fight and have already agreed to everything. We are now just waiting for Juan Francisco Estrada, and we hope they [Matchroom] can finalise something pretty soon because that is the fight Bam wants.
“[Rodriguez’s baby daughter] is due next month, in April. So after that, we will begin the month after the birth for the fight in June.”
Mexican Estrada, 33, has been relatively inactive in recent years, boxing just four times since 2020. All have been victories.
These bouts have come against some of the best in the division, including Cuadras and two bouts against the legendary Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez 51-4 (41).
Estrada was in talks to face WBA super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka 31-2-1 (16) in Japan last New Year’s Eve before pulling out at the 11th hour.
