Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez says he belongs within the high 5 of the pound-for-pound checklist after his KO win over Mexican legend Juan Francisco Estrada in Phoenix on Saturday evening, reclaiming the WBC World Tremendous-Flyweight title and choosing up his first Ring Journal strap.
Rodriguez (20-0 13 KOs) began the struggle aggressively and within the third spherical, stumbled Estrada with a crisp uppercut, pouring it onto the defending champion, and the next spherical was one other main breakthrough for the Texan, as one other uppercut opened the door for a left-hand that floored ‘El Gallo’.
However as ‘Bam’ appeared to maneuver via the gears and finish issues earlier than the midway level of the struggle, Estrada had the packed home on their ft as he put the 24 12 months previous on the deck for the primary time in his profession by a proper hand from Estrada.
Rodriguez composed himself instantly and completed the spherical robust, after which got here the crowning second because the seventh spherical closed, Bam unleashed a sickening physique shot along with his left hand, one which crumpled Estrada and noticed Rodriguez scalp a 3rd of the 4 Kings of the Tremendous-Flyweights.
After the struggle, Rodriguez and promoter Eddie Hearn addressed the media at Footprint Middle, to look again at his thrilling efficiency, opine on is pound-for-pound standing and have a look at what may very well be subsequent.
“I’m the legend slayer,” stated Rodriguez. “The higher the opponent, the higher I carry out, I’ve at all times felt that method. It was only a matter of time till the world noticed it.
“I’ve been saying that I’m right here at 115lbs for 2 or three fights, I do know that there’s a rematch clause with Estrada so if he desires to undergo with that then we are able to run it again, if not, I need the winner of Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez. It’s an important struggle, I feel Ioka is perhaps a bit too technical for Martinez so he’ll come out with the victory. I’d like to struggle in Japan. I’ve been on the market just a few occasions, I’ve been to the boxing on the market and it’s a unique environment so I’d like to go there and struggle whoever.
“Estrada is a legend and a warrior and he’s going to wish to come again and attempt to beat me, however i’m solely getting higher from right here on out.
“The scorecards are fairly loopy to me, I assumed that I used to be dominating the struggle, even within the spherical I bought dropped in I got here again and completed the spherical fairly robust, so the playing cards had been surprising to me however that’s boxing, that’s the way in which it goes and it was an excellent job I bought him out of there.
“Once I bought dropped, I bought too careless. Robert was telling me even the spherical earlier than to remain calm and maintain doing what I used to be doing, however I bought too snug to be trustworthy, and I bought caught with an important shot. It was a flash knockdown, I knew that once I was happening, I used to be smiling and simply bought again up and caught to the sport plan, it’s only a studying expertise.
“The Chocolatito sparring was excellent for this camp, he’s been contained in the ring 3 times with Estrada and is aware of Estrada higher than anybody else. I’m very grateful for these rounds and I wish to give a shout-out to Chocolatito for these three sparring periods that we had.
“It’s my greatest win thus far, as I stated, he’s a legend, was on the pound-for-pound rankings for a really very long time so to go on the market and dominate him the way in which that I did, it says loads about my efficiency and my skills.
“I didn’t actually care in regards to the pound-for-pound checklist at first, however once I was placed on it, it occurred after I beat Sunny Edwards and it felt higher than profitable the struggle. So staying on the pound-for-pound checklist together with the opposite nice fighters is an honor. Earlier than the struggle transferring up that checklist was talked about, particularly if I ended him, and I’m undoubtedly within the high 5 pound-for-pound.
“I’ve fought in Arizona 3 times now, that is the largest one. Phoenix holds a particular place in my coronary heart, I really like preventing right here and the environment was loopy.
“It’s badass to be talked about with Naoya Inoue. I’m a 115lbs fighter and he’s at 122lbs, in order that simply goes to indicate how gifted I’m.”
“It was an unimaginable struggle,” stated Hearn. “I felt Bam dominated the primary a part of the struggle however then Estrada got here again with the knockdown and appeared to show the struggle on it’s head. Jesse recovered however Estrada was again within the struggle, however impulsively, the physique shot was completely completely positioned and he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t stand up, and it was a surprising finish to a surprising struggle.
“Estrada has been out for some time so generally you suppose it’d take some time for him to get into the struggle, and he’s an excellent finisher is El Gallo, particularly down the again straight. So I wasn’t stunned that Jesse was out sharping him within the early components, however I used to be stunned that he damage him so early. However Jesse appeared very heart-handed tonight and at 24, he’s actually constructing his energy.
“The issue with the decrease weight courses is that they usually don’t get the respect of the upper ones. For me, Jesse ought to be talked about with Terence Crawford, Inoue, Usyk. He’s gone via Cuadras, gone via Rungvisai, stopped Edwards, KO’d Estrada. He’s already on the pound-for-pound checklist, however I feel he’s high 5 pound-for-pound now. He’s 24 years previous, he has one other 4 or 5 years of his prime, and we’re honored to characterize him.
“You noticed the gang in there, we’re in Phoenix, not in San Antonio, and as many Mexicans as there have been in there, Bam had big help and he’s an actual star. The rematch is there, there’s alternatives in Japan, there’s alternatives to return to San Antonio and likewise to come back again to Phoenix. The longer term is vivid, he desires to strive unify the division, El Gallo has the choice to rematch and we’ll see how that performs out.”
