Jesse Rodriguez. Photograph by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Coach Robert Garcia has identified all alongside what sort of struggle Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is.
“He’s particular,” mentioned Garcia.
One of many prime trainers within the sport remains to be beaming from Rodriguez’s knockout win over Juan Francisco Estrada this previous Saturday on the Footprint Heart in Phoenix, Arizona. Rodriguez (20-0, 13 knockouts) received the Ring Journal junior bantamweight championship and the WBC world title belt.
From the opening bell, Rodriguez was the more-effective fighter, breaking Estrada down, hurting him a number of occasions and scoring a knockdown in spherical 4. Regardless of being knocked down in spherical six, Rodriguez landed a devastating punch to the physique that dropped Estrada for the rely on the finish of spherical seven.
Garcia, who has skilled Rodriguez for the reason that age of 15, knew Rodriguez would excel and exceed struggle fan’s expectations of how the struggle performed out.
“It was a terrific struggle,” Garcia informed The Ring Tuesday night. “I wasn’t shocked with Bam’s efficiency as a result of I do know what he might do. I believe he can nonetheless do rather more. I’ve mentioned it since he was a child and I wasn’t fallacious. This child is particular.”
Rodriguez’s win didn’t go unnoticed in boxing circles. Junior welterweight contender Kenneth Sims commented on X (previously generally known as Twitter) his ideas on the win.
“OMG!! YOU ARE SPECIAL!! @210,” was what Sims posted. “24-12 months-Outdated HALL OF FAMER!!”
There was some scrutiny after the struggle with the judges’ scorecards. Coming into spherical seven, decide Steve Morrow had Rodriguez up 58-54, and decide Robert Tapper of Canada had the struggle even 56-56.
Choose Javier Castillo had Estrada up 57-56. He scored the primary three rounds for Estrada.
Garcia is glad the struggle ended early, avoiding any controversy, ought to the struggle have gone to the scorecards.
“The scorecards did shock me, however I’m glad we didn’t should go to the scorecards,” mentioned Garcia, who owns the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, California.
Garcia did affirm Rodriguez, who resides in San Antonio, Texas, will probably be ringside for this Sunday’s unification conflict between WBA world titleholder Kazuto Ioka and IBF titleholder Fernando Martinez. The 12-round bout will happen at Kokugikan Area in Tokyo, Japan.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He will be reached at [email protected]
Comply with @FSalazarBoxing
