Eddie Hearn labels a match between Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue as a “Fantasy combat,” however he doubts it’ll ever occur on account of how far aside the 2 fighters are in weight.
(Picture 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 may have already moved as much as featherweight [126].
For that combat to occur, Bam might want to take a threat by transferring as much as tremendous bantamweight now, which he can definitely do, given his measurement. It might be a giant soar by way of competitors for the 24-year-old Rodriguez, and that might be the arduous half.
Measurement-wise, Bam might simply transfer as much as 122 proper now as a result of he seemed like a full-fledged featherweight contained in the ring final Saturday evening in his combat towards WBC tremendous flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada on the Footprint Middle 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 combat with Bam Rodriguez, and Hearn believes he may use it to drive a second match. If Bam needs to combat Inoue, the sensible factor could be to get the rematch out of the way in which with Estrada after which transfer as much as 122 to try to get the mega-fight with the Japanese star.
Bam’s Potential Soar to Tremendous Bantamweight
“Jesse vs. Inoue is a fantasy combat. It’s additionally an unbelievable combat. 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,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, discussing the potential for a combat between Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue.
“I’m positive 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 combat for now, however what a fantasy combat it will be,” mentioned Hearn a few combat between Inoue and Bam Rodriguez,” mentioned Hearn.
If Bam Rodriguez needs the Inoue combat, he’d be higher off leaping to 122 after his potential rematch with Juan Estrada. There aren’t any massive names for Bam to combat at 115 or 118 that the boxing public in the united stateswould take discover of.
Not less than if Bam fought Inoue now, it will be a giant combat in Japan and the U.S. It might be brave of Bam to make the transfer now quite than in two to 4 years.
“I felt Bam dominated the primary a part of the combat, however then Estrada got here again with the knockdown [in round six] after which turned the combat on its head,” mentioned Hearn. “Estrada was within the combat, however then abruptly, the physique shot was completely completely positioned. He couldn’t stand up, couldn’t breathe.”
Estrada seemed skinny and emaciated for the combat, and he wasn’t almost at his finest. 115 is now not an excellent 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 combat, and wild scorecards as properly. I don’t agree with, however it exhibits you ways aggressive the combat was and the way dramatic the combat was. I might have really favored to have seen the combat go down the straight, however possibly we’ll see that subsequent time,” mentioned Hearn.
Estrada fought properly at occasions, however he wasn’t constant sufficient to succeed towards the larger, stronger, and youthful Bam Rodriguez.
