On June 13, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Jesse Bam Rodriguez defeated Antonio Vargas to win the WBA bantamweight title. Following the main event, attention quickly turned to Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez. Bam and Eddie Hearn both spoke about the potential bout, with Hearn identifying a possible risk.
Bam Rodriguez stops Antonio Vargas to become WBA bantamweight champion
Speaking after Antonio Vargas vs Bam Rodriguez:
Vargas (19-2-1, 11 KOs) began the fight well, putting his punches together impressively. Bam did improve in the second round, and the angles he created clearly troubled Vargas.
Vargas continued to pose awkward questions for Bam (24-0, 17) for the next few rounds, with his accuracy and combination punches standing out. The tide began to turn in Bam’s favour when, during the fifth round, Bam landed a sharp left hand, knocking his opponent down, who did well to beat the count, and survive the round.
During the sixth round, Bam landed a beautiful left hand, knocking Vargas down heavily. He tried to beat the count but instead rolled over onto his back, and that was all she wrote. Bam’s ability to adjust during this fight was most impressive, and what a knockout! Jesse Bam Rodriguez is the new WBA bantamweight champion and a three-division world champion.
Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez: Eddie Hearn stresses urgency
While the boxing world dreams of a potential Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez showdown, Bam’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has stressed urgency around making the fight, and after Bam’s win against Vargas, the Matchroom Sport chairman said:
“If we don’t do [Rodriguez-Inoue] soon, we’re probably going to miss the boat,” Hearn said. “I think if the offer is right, I think Bam and Robert will do it. I don’t think they have any fear of doing it.
“Robert and Bam are going to have to weigh up a decision. Do you do it now? Or run the risk of letting it go forever? I don’t think there’s a bad decision, because realistically, Bam can stay at 118 pounds and fight all the champions and be undisputed. The move to 122 is inevitable, but is it in December-January [for the Inoue fight]?
“Or is it in a year’s time? So a lot depends on the offer. I think it will be an attractive offer, if it’s not then we carry on unifying the division. Bam’s got many years ahead of him.”
After his stoppage win over Vargas, Bam was asked about a potential Naoya Inoue clash, and said:
“Whatever they throw in front of me, I’m going to say yes,” Rodriguez said during his post-fight press conference.
It remains to be seen if we will see Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez next, but one thing is certain: Bam will be in big fights from here on out. His ring IQ was exceptional on June 13, as he adjusted to the new weight before stepping on the gas and stopping Vargas to win the WBA bantamweight title.
Featured Image Credit:
Zachariah Delgado – Matchroom Boxing