Emmanuel Rodriguez figured he had arrived in 2018.
That was the yr the Puerto Rican almost shut out Paul Butler to win the IBF 118-pound title after which efficiently defending it by outpointing succesful Jason Moloney 5 months later. He was on the rise.
After which he wasn’t.
His second protection got here in 2019 towards none apart from Naoya Inoue, arguably the most effective fighter on the earth pound-for-pound. Issues didn’t go effectively, as Rodriguez went down thrice and didn’t make it out of the second spherical.
That was adopted by a disputed split-decision loss to Reymart Gaballo and a weird 16-second no-contest towards Gary Antonio Russell, the results of a head butt that reduce Rodriguez on the bridge of his nostril.
Issues couldn’t have been a lot worse for Rodriguez, who was winless in three outings and seeming removed from one other shot at a title. Then the pendulum swung again in his favor.
He knocked out Roberto Cantu after the Russell no-contest in March of final yr after which delivered arguably his strongest efficiency, a 10-round technical resolution in a rematch with Russell that additionally was truncated due to a reduce.
That earned the now-31-year-old a battle with Melvin Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs) for a similar belt he misplaced to Inoue on Saturday in Oxon Hill, Maryland (Showtime).
Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) mentioned he’s a greater fighter now than he was when he final wore a championship belt.
“I’m extra mature and skilled now than I used to be once I first gained the title,” he mentioned. “I would be the fifth world champion from Puerto Rico proper now and that may be a privilege. That’s the objective on this battle.
“I assure you I’m gonna come out with the win on Saturday, as a result of I’m the hardest opponent he’s ever confronted.”
Rodriguez believes he’d be the hardest opponent for any bantamweight.
If he will get previous Lopez, who’s a few 5-1 underdog, considered one of Rodriguez’s fellow beltholders may come subsequent.
Alexandro Santiago outpointed Nonito Donaire to win the vacant WBC title on July 29. Takuma Inoue, Naoya’s brother, is the WBA champ. And Moloney, Rodriguez’s earlier sufferer, holds the WBO title.
Whomever results in his face, he expects to have his hand raised. That begins towards Lopez on Saturday.
“I’m gonna show I’m the most effective fighter within the division,” he mentioned. “That is gonna ship a message to all the opposite champions that I’m right here to remain.”
