Boxing
Is ‘Bam’ Rodriguez the most exciting fighter in boxing? Can he be the face of the sport?
Rodriguez vs. Vargas on DAZN - TONIGHT
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez checks all the boxes of being a boxing superstar. He has the high ring IQ, generates slashing angles powered by his deft footwork, hits with explosive, fast-twitch power, and is a fixture on pound-for-pound lists.
When I interviewed him over Zoom a few weeks back, I told him directly, just as I’m about to state here now: ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is the most exciting fighter in boxing today.
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At 26, Rodriguez can add to the excitement by becoming a three-division world champion tonight in Glendale, Arizona, and live on DAZN, via defeating WBA bantamweight world champion Antonio Vargas.
But what would it take for ‘Bam’ to become the face of boxing? Let’s explore.
First, Rodriguez would need to handily defeat Vargas. That would increase the groundswell for an epic mega bout with Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue, the undefeated, undisputed super bantamweight ruler.
Many critics and fans alike have Inoue as the top-ranked fighter on their pound-for-pound list following Terence Crawford’s retirement. I’m one of them. I have Inoue at No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk second, David Benavidez third, Rodriguez fourth and Shakur Stevenson at No. 5. Coincidentally, ‘Bam’ placed himself fourth on the P4P.
But to become the face of the sport, Rodriguez not only needs to edge Inoue, but tame ‘The Monster’ emphatically.
Rodriguez already told DAZN News that doing that would undoubtedly crown him No. 1 on the pound-for-pound list, though being the face might be a different story. That said, he believes the mantle is still for the taking.
“I feel like it is up for grabs,” Rodriguez said about becoming the face of the sport. “Being a smaller weight class fighter, it’s going to be a little difficult to be the face of boxing just because there’s more popular fighters.”
But Rodriguez is so good that even the more popular fighters are heaping high praise onto his name.
Stevenson, the WBO super lightweight world champion, recently told Matchroom Boxing that he likes Rodriguez to dethrone Inoue.
“I like ‘Bam,’ I can’t go against ‘Bam,’” Stevenson said a few weeks back. “I think Inoue is a great fighter, but I think ‘Bam’ might be his Kryptonite.”
It’s an impactful — and necessary — co-sign of a humble Rodriguez, who conscientiously keeps a low profile, recently telling DAZN News that he stays “as low-key as I can.”
He explained the genesis of that choice further.
“I don’t do too much talking,” he said. “I go inside the ring and let that speak for itself.”
Loudly.
The way Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) has been able to use his nimble footwork to concoct knockouts of champions at the time or former world titleholders amidst this unbeaten wave has been mind-numbing, especially his last five stoppage victories. Often, the setups to his knockout blows are devised so instinctually that it’s all a blur for ‘Bam.’
“I have to go back and watch the replay to actually see what happened,” he said. “It just happens so naturally. Before I know it, my opponent is on the floor.”
It’s part of why he’s the most exciting fighter in the game with Inoue and Benavidez rounding out my top three in that regard.
Defeating ‘The Monster’ dramatically would make him the face, too.
“I’m content with where I’m at, but there’s definitely more to go, more to accomplish,” Rodriguez offered, “and I’m just going to keep doing what I have to do — and that’s winning.”
What would be at stake with Inoue vs. Rodriguez?
Analysis: DAZN News’ Mark Lelinwalla
Imagine stepping into the ring with ‘The Monster’ with the chance to not only become the new undisputed super bantamweight overlord, but undoubtedly boxing’s pound-for-pound best, the most exciting fighter and face of the sport.
That’s the quadruple crown that ‘Bam’ could win by defeating Inoue in staking his claim for being the very best that the sweet science currently has to offer.
I think he does it — and convincingly — with that mission starting tonight.
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