Eddie Hearn labels a match between Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue as a “Fantasy struggle,” however he doubts it’ll ever occur attributable to how far aside the 2 fighters are in weight.
(Photograph credit score: Sumio Yamada)
Weight Class Distinction a Hurdle
The promoter Hearn feels that by the point ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) strikes as much as tremendous bantamweight [122], the Japanese star Inoue can have already moved as much as featherweight [126].
For that struggle to occur, Bam might want to take a danger by transferring as much as tremendous bantamweight now, which he can definitely do, given his dimension. It could be an enormous leap when it comes to competitors for the 24-year-old Rodriguez, and that will be the arduous half.
Measurement-wise, Bam may simply transfer as much as 122 proper now as a result of he regarded like a full-fledged featherweight contained in the ring final Saturday night time in his struggle towards WBC tremendous flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada on the Footprint Heart in Phoenix, Arizona. Bam dispatched the 34-year-old Estrada within the seventh spherical with a physique shot.
Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs) has a rematch clause for his struggle with Bam Rodriguez, and Hearn believes he may use it to drive a second match. If Bam needs to struggle Inoue, the sensible factor could be to get the rematch out of the best way with Estrada after which transfer as much as 122 to try to get the mega-fight with the Japanese star.
Bam’s Potential Bounce to Tremendous Bantamweight
“Jesse vs. Inoue is a fantasy struggle. It’s additionally an unbelievable struggle. You’re speaking a few man [Bam Rodriguez] who has come up from mild flyweight. He’s at present at tremendous flyweight, and he’ll positively go to bantam,” stated Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, discussing the potential for a struggle between Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue.
“I’m certain he’ll go to tremendous bantamweight in time, however they’ll in all probability find yourself lacking one another, however who is aware of? If Inoue stays at 122 for the following couple of years, Jesse will meet him there. Yeah, in all probability a fantasy struggle for now, however what a fantasy struggle it will be,” stated Hearn a few struggle between Inoue and Bam Rodriguez,” stated Hearn.
If Bam Rodriguez needs the Inoue struggle, he’d be higher off leaping to 122 after his potential rematch with Juan Estrada. There are not any massive names for Bam to struggle at 115 or 118 that the boxing public in the uswould take discover of.
At the least if Bam fought Inoue now, it will be an enormous struggle in Japan and the U.S. It could be brave of Bam to make the transfer now somewhat than in two to 4 years.
“I felt Bam dominated the primary a part of the struggle, however then Estrada got here again with the knockdown [in round six] after which turned the struggle on its head,” stated Hearn. “Estrada was within the struggle, however then abruptly, the physique shot was completely completely positioned. He couldn’t rise up, couldn’t breathe.”
Estrada regarded skinny and emaciated for the struggle, and he wasn’t almost at his finest. 115 is not a superb weight division for Estrada. He wants to maneuver as much as bantamweight or tremendous bantamweight [118 or 122], and make life simpler for him.
“It was a surprising end, beautiful knockout to a surprising struggle, and wild scorecards as properly. I don’t agree with, but it surely exhibits you ways aggressive the struggle was and the way dramatic the struggle was. I might have really favored to have seen the struggle go down the straight, however perhaps we’ll see that subsequent time,” stated Hearn.
Estrada fought properly at occasions, however he wasn’t constant sufficient to succeed towards the larger, stronger, and youthful Bam Rodriguez.
