WBC and Ring Magazine super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada 44-3 (28) is ready to return with a bang when he defends his green strap against southpaw challenger Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez 19-0 (12) at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on June 29.
Mexican veteran Estrada, 34, will be having his first fight in more than 18 month when he faces the lightly-raced Rodriguez, who has already won world titles in two separate weight classes.
Estrada was in talks to face Japan’s 35-year-old WBA 115-pound champion Kazuto Ioka 31-2-1 (18) last New Years Eve, but reportedly withdrew from negotiations when his financial demands could not be met.
“I’ve been speaking about this fight and about my career with my promoter Juan [Hernandez],” Estrada said.
“We did have other options for fights. Ioka, the Japanese fighter, to go and face and unify. But we really wanted to fight against Bam because we believe it is a great fight.
“He was also a champion in the lower weight division, so I thought it would be a great test for us to go in there. Also, it’s a great fight for the fans to enjoy too.
San Antonio, Texas native Rodriguez is still only 24 years old. The talented youngster burst onto the scene in February 2022 when he jumped up two weight classes on late notice to claim the same belt Estrada now owns against Carlos Cuadras 42-5-1 (28) via unanimous decision.
“I think Bam is a good fighter but you do have to say that,” Estrada said. “But I think if you look at his best victories like Cuadras, [Srisaket Sor] Rungvisai, then those guys were on the way out.
“The only good victory that he’s had was the Sunny Edwards fight, which I was present for. Obviously that was at a lower weight and we’ll have to see what he’s like up here fighting against me at this higher weight class because I think that will be the difference on the night.
“Let’s see what happens on June 29 because I also come into this with a winning mentality and the mentality of winning this fight convincingly. If it is by KO, then even better.”
The fight will be something of a litmus test for just where Estrada is at this late stage of his career. The quality operator has boxed just four times since August 2019.
“It’s going to be a wonderful fight, which people coming here can expect that,” Estrada said. “I’m coming in with a winning mentality, wanting to defend my title and go on to having even bigger fights in the future.
“Don’t rule out this being a wonderful fight and a wonderful show. But what is also really important is that we both come out of this ring safe and sound.”
