Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez grins as Juan Francisco Estrada is counted out on the finish of the seventh spherical of their RING 115-pound championshp struggle at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Arizona. Picture Credit score: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom Boxing.
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez grinned the second he hit the deck.
The temporary style of adversity early within the sixth spherical was all of the remaining motivation that he wanted to complete what he began. Rodriguez overcame that slight hiccup to brutalize Juan Francisco Estrada, whom he knocked out to win the RING and WBC 115-pound championship. A left hand to the physique pressured Estrada to the canvas, the place he was counted at on the finish of the seventh spherical Saturday night at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Arizona.
“To be within the ring with ‘Gallo’—a legend—and to take his belt, is simply unbelievable,” Rodriguez instructed DAZN’s Chris Mannix.
The venue was the location of Rodriguez’s first title win. It occurred to be the WBC 115-pound title that Estrada relinquished in trade for the sanctioning physique’s ‘Franchise’ champion designation. Rodriguez (20-0, 13 knockouts) had simply celebrated his twenty second birthday when he accepted a vacant title struggle versus former titlist Carlos Cuadras on simply six days’ discover.
Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs) seemed to determine his textbook jab within the opening spherical of his first struggle in practically 19 months. The legendary two-division champ from Hermosillo, Mexico hadn’t fought since a majority resolution win over Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (51-4-1, 41 KOs). Their memorable Dec. 2022 trilogy conflict at Desert Diamond Enviornment in close by Glendale was adopted by an unwelcome inactive stretch for the 34-year-old.
Rodriguez was ready for something that the defending champ needed to supply and was a step forward throughout most exchanges. A straight left hand by the 24-year-old southpaw briefly precipitated Estrada to again up. Rodriguez continued to inch ahead and counter Estrada, who a minimum of managed a verify left hook.
A comparatively aggressive first rapidly transitioned to a showcase efficiency by boxing’s finest younger star.
Rodriguez’s angles and footwork hardly ever supplied a clear goal for Estrada. Proper fingers and left hooks by Estrada hit his challenger’s gloves. Rodriguez landed a left hand, pivoted and landed one other earlier than Estrada had the possibility to reset.
The signal of hassle forward got here late in spherical three. Estrada was rocked by Rodriguez roughly one minute into the third. Rodriguez went on the assault however the long-reigning RING champ was in a position to stay upright.
It wasn’t the case for lengthy.
Rodriguez produced the primary knockdown of the struggle within the fourth. Estrada was frozen in place by an uppercut, after which Rodriguez slammed house a straight left. Estrada hit the deck however managed to beat the rely and make it out of the spherical. His legs nonetheless hadn’t absolutely recovered at the same time as he sat on his stool in between rounds.
Estrada was damage as soon as once more halfway by way of spherical 5. Rodriguez drove his elder statesmen into the ropes and landed a swarm of punches, by way of a disciplined assault. Estrada managed to make it out of the spherical however there drew concern over how for much longer he might final.
By no means rely out a future Corridor of Famer.
Estrada breathed new life into the one-sided struggle with a proper hand in the beginning of spherical six. Rodriguez was out of place for maybe the lone time within the struggle and suffered his first profession knockdown.
It was a welcomed expertise and means to shut the present for the rising pound-for-pound star.
“I acquired dropped for the primary time, that was loopy,” famous Rodriguez. “I acquired caught with a punch and subsequent factor you realize, I used to be on the ground. It was loopy however I at all times needed to expertise that. I do know it’s unhealthy however I need to check myself in instances like that.”
Rodriguez handed that check with flying colours.
The temporary second of success did by no means present a path for a sustained momentum shift. Estrada remained assured however it was rapidly sapped as Rodriguez continued to focus on the physique and likewise land from all angles.
Then got here the spectacular end.
Rodriguez punched together all through the seventh. Estrada usually caught air and gloves at any time when he let his fingers go. In the meantime, Rodriguez walked down his larger foe, in his first struggle again at 115 in practically two years.
Estrada drifted in the direction of the ropes when he was caught with a digging left to the physique. One other one by Rodriguez pressured Estrada to fall and roll within the canvas in ache as referee Chris Flores issued the total ten rely.
“Simply to share the ring with them, being on the identical poster with them, it’s simply loopy,” famous Rodriguez, who’s now a four-time titlist and first-time RING champion.
The sensation was mutual by the exiting champ, who would love nothing greater than to do it once more.
“I do know the errors that I made in there,” Estrada admitted after his first defeat in six years. “I sit up for the rematch.”
Estrada was a unified titlist at flyweight earlier than he vacated to marketing campaign at 115. It took him two tries to develop into a two-division champ, which he did in an April 2019 factors victory over Sor Rungvisai. The feat avenged a Feb. 2018 defeat, and was a part of an eight-fight win streak previous Saturday.
Rodriguez’s earlier tour at 115 was temporary—simply eight months on the title stage, earlier than he relinquished to marketing campaign at flyweight. He’d already made his mark on the division with wins over Cuadras (42-5-1, 28 KOs), No. 4 at 115, and former RING champ Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (56-6-1, 46 KOs).
That run was adopted by a second divisional title reign at flyweight. He wrapped up his 2023 marketing campaign with a ninth-round stoppage of Sunny Edwards (21-1, 4 KOs), No. 2 at 112, to unify the IBF and WBO titles.
Rodriguez is now armed together with his first RING/lineal championship and ready so as to add extra {hardware} to his assortment. He might get a shot at two extra for the worth of 1.
“I would like the winner of Ioka-Martinez,” insisted Rodriguez.
The bout to which he referred is the July 7 WBA/IBF unification conflict between Kazuto Ioka (31-2-1, 16 KOs) and Fernando ‘Puma’ Martinez (16-0. 9 KOs) in Tokyo.
“[Undisputed] is certainly one thing I’ve seen others fighters do [lately],” vowed Rodriguez. “To see them with all of the belts is one thing that I would like.”
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