Second time fortunate, not less than that’s what Jonathan Rodriguez is hoping.
Rodriguez, rated at No. 10 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, will problem Kosei Tanaka for the WBO title at Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday.
“My solely thought is to grow to be a world champion,” Rodriguez (25-2-1, 17 knockouts) informed The Ring by way of promoter Paco Damian. “I’m working very onerous, I’m very motivated. We all know the duty forward, he is a superb champion and nice fighter however my goal to grow to be a world champion.”
The 28-year-old father of two from San Luis Potosi, Mexico could be very respectful of the four-division titleholder’s capacity but additionally see’s areas he can exploit and expects Tanaka’s model to mesh properly together with his and produce a fan-friendly combat.
“He has a gorgeous left hand, that’s the one now we have been cautious [of] now we have been getting ready and coaching for that,” he stated. “His left hand is quicker than his toes. He’s not very quick together with his leg motion. He generally stays stationary.
“He additionally receives punishment, he likes to travel, we do too. We’re going to placed on loads of strain [on him.] What we noticed is that loads of the time when he’s within the mid-range or when he will get exchanging, he will get hit. We noticed that [in his only loss] in opposition to [Kazuto] Ioka within the three knockdowns he suffered and our plan is to place loads of strain on and work onerous round-by-round and hopefully in the direction of the tip we’ll have the ability to get a stoppage. It’s going to be very troublesome to do however we’re working very onerous for it. We all know the significance of this chance.”
The combat will finish a 12 months of inactivity for Rodriguez. Nonetheless, there are a couple of causes for that.
“One of many causes was I suffered a knee harm on my left knee, we needed to go to remedy, we needed to deal with it, now we have to provide it a very good time to heal,” he defined. “Now we’re completely wholesome, we’re working very onerous and now I’m one hundred pc.”
Nonetheless, his coach and supervisor Marco Rodriguez (no relation), who has educated him since 2020 and had put “Titan” by way of an 8-week coaching camp in Monterrey, Mexico, wished to develop on that.
“Moreover the knee harm there are different components. It’s very unlucky that some corporations in Mexico didn’t need to give us the chance, generally that is what’s what it’s, ‘You are taking it and also you’re with me or we don’t provide you with something.’ So, loads of the time with the little energy they’ve, there are only a few promoters in Mexico which have a cope with TV, so loads of the time they wish to make the most of the fighters, they know, it’s us or no person,” he elaborated. “We’re very grateful we met Paco, we all know he all the time finds alternatives for the fighters and that’s precisely what he did, we’re very pleased we signed with him.”
In the meantime Rodriguez doesn’t really feel the day without work will hinder him.
“No, I’m very motivated, I don’t see it as one thing in opposition to me,” he stated. “I really feel sensible within the ring, I’m going to place [on] loads of strain and this isn’t going to be a distraction or one thing I feel is in opposition to me. I’m going to arrange very properly, I’m very motivated and I’m going there to win.”
This can current Rodriguez together with his second world title alternative having come up brief in opposition to Jerwin Ancajas (UD 12) in 2021.
“It was a troublesome combat in opposition to a fighter that had loads of expertise, fairly a couple of title defenses,” he defined. “And on my facet, I felt I used to be very inexperienced. Why? As a result of I had by no means had by no means fought in america on an enormous stage like that. I’ve to confess, I used to be just a little bit nervous, the primary time leaving my dwelling nation to combat some place else for such an excellent huge alternative.
“I take that as an expertise that isn’t going to occur this time in opposition to Tanaka. I really feel I’ve the qualities now to do very properly in opposition to him in Japan.”
Damian, who’s a disciple of the late, nice corridor of fame promoter Don Chargin, is optimistic having acquired Rodriguez the title shot that his fighter can now go one additional and grow to be champion.
“That is a tremendous combat, I reside for these moments,” stated Damian, who flew with the group to Japan on July 11. “Having the underdog, going to the house of the promoter and having a man like Jonathan Rodriguez, a fighter, I do know who’s going to go away every little thing contained in the ring. To have the ability to give this kind of alternative to those guys.
“[When] my good pal, Don Chargin, died, I assumed I’m going to retire however in a while I mirrored and although, “On a regular basis he put in me, every little thing he taught me, it could be a waste.” I made a decision to remain and I need to do precisely what is going on to Jonathan. It was onerous for him to get respectable fights, loads of the time they attempt to pay you subsequent to nothing if you if you find yourself in Mexico for powerful fights. That’s why I made a decision to remain, to provide these sort of fighters a chance to alter their lives. To combat for a world title is the best factor a fighter can do. For those who win you grow to be a world champion, that’s all I can do for you. The remainder is on you, all of the onerous work, the additional minute you run, the additional spherical you hit the bag, the additional mile, that’s on you.
“He has to prepare, he has to get be motivated to attain greatness. However I do imagine when you will have a child like this, they’re hungry, they’re trying and ready for this chance, they’re not going to go that far simply to lose. They’re going to provide us an excellent combat whatever the final result it’s going to be an unbelievable combat.”
Tanaka has dwelling benefit and extra championship seasoning than Rodriguez. Nonetheless, I imagine stylistically it is a powerful one for each males. I feel Tanaka has extra finesse however Rodriguez will likely be powerful and hold coming. I anticipate each to have interaction and that fits the challenger, who I may see pulling off the upset by scoring a late stoppage win.
Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs), rated at No. 4 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, gained the WBO strawweight title from Julian Yedras (UD 12) in his fifth combat and made one protection. He then moved as much as junior flyweight and gained the vacant WBO title and made two defenses. The Japanese star outgrew that division and edged Sho Kimura (MD 12) to win the WBO flyweight title. He made three defenses of that one, notably outboxing former unified junior flyweight titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi (UD 12) and stopping present WBO 108-pound titlist Jonathan Gonzalez (TKO 7).
The now 29-year-old jumped to 115 kilos however was brutally stopped by then-WBO titleholder Kazuto Ioka (TKO 8). He regained his confidence with 4 wins earlier than turning into a four-weight world champion by besting Christian Bacasegua (UD 12) for the vacant WBO 115-pound title in February.
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