Promoter outlines unbeaten American’s next options.
In very early 2022, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodríguez was a 14-0 prospect who had not yet proven himself to be anywhere near world level. He looked good, sure, but against nobody of true note.
That all changed in February of that year. You see, Rodríguez was meant to fight the 10-1-1 Fernando Diaz for the WBC USNBC flyweight title on the undercard of the WBC super-flyweight title fight rematch between Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
But when Sor Rungvisai pulled out, Rodríguez took his place, and after jumping up a division, he was suddenly fighting Cuadras for the title in the main event.
Cuadras was vastly more experienced, possessing a 39-4-1 record. Despite this, as well as many who thought the fight was way too early, Rodríguez tore up the script and beat Cuadras to become the youngest world champion in boxing.
In his very next fight, Rodríguez would stop Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, then become a champion at flyweight two fights later. He would then become unified at flyweight by stopping England’s unbeaten defensive wizard Sunny Edwards.
It was around this time that people started to realise just how special Jesse Rodríguez was.
He would become champion at super-flyweight again by knocking out Juan Francisco Estrada, then tore apart Pedro Guevara in his next fight.
Since then, Rodríguez has picked up two further belts at the weight by dispatching of unbeaten duo Phumelela Cafu and Fernando Martinez.
You see, Rodríguez is a particular type of dominant. The type you really do not see very much. And since his three-belt unification in November, every fan has been wanting to know what his next step will be.
Well, according to Eddie Hearn (Rodríguez’s promoter), a move up to bantamweight is most likely.
While casting doubt on an undisputed fight being made at super-flyweight with IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia Perez, Hearn was quoted as saying, “I’m talking to ‘Bam’ and Robert [Garcia, Rodríguez’s trainer] about maybe moving to bantamweight, maybe fighting [Christian] ‘Chispo’ Medina [the WBO bantamweight champion], and then maybe returning [to super-flyweight] to fight for undisputed.”
Whatever path Jesse Rodríguez (23-0, 16 KOs) takes next, the eyes of the boxing world will be on him.
🚨 BANTAMWEIGHT LIKELY NEXT FOR BAM
Eddie Hearn on Bam Rodriguez: “We’re planning the next fight [for the] end of May/early June [in San Antonio]. Willibaldo García has a mandatory against Moloney which he can’t get out of and Moloney won’t move… We’re talking to BXSTRS about… pic.twitter.com/RDMnebyygh
— EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) March 1, 2026
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