Bam Rodriguez Believes He Will Stop Juan Francisco Estrada
On June 29 in Phoenix, Arizona, two of the elite fighters in the sport will go to battle as two-division champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez will challenge reigning WBC junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs). It’s a contest that Rodriguez believes he can win inside the distance.
Estrada versus Rodriguez is a top-tier matchup in the lower-weight divisions and is highly anticipated by pundits and the hardcore sect. The kick-off press conference was held for the boxing press and hosted by the promoter of the fight, Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn.
CONFIDENT IN WHAT HE CAN DO
There was a general tone of respect by the champion and challenger. When asked by Hearn if he had what it takes to stop Estrada, Rodriguez said the following:
“Definitely! People didn’t think I could stop (Srisaket Sor) Rungvisai. People didn’t think I could stop Sunny (Edwards). I’m pretty sure people don’t expect me to stop Estrada. But I believe in myself. I can do it.
My team believes it. It’s a very hard task to do, but it’s possible. Nothing is impossible. So, come June 29, I feel like I’m going to shock the world.”
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Bam enters this fight off an impressive eleventh-round stoppage over Sunny Edwards to become a unified champion at flyweight in December 2023. A previous WBC champion at junior bantamweight, Rodriguez is returning to the division. His camp believes that Estrada is step one of their eventual plan to become undisputed at 115.
But Estrada will not be an easy out. Gallo is a talented fighter of immense pride. He is the most accomplished fighter that Rodriguez has faced so far. At age 34, he’s ten years older than the challenger. He hasn’t fought since a majority decision victory in his trilogy fight with Roman Gonzalez in December 2022.
However, the reigning WBC champion is a future Hall of Famer and is still one of the most skilled fighters in the world. He has the tools to give the young, hungry lion fits, and give him a boxing lesson.
Can Rodriguez do something that no man has yet to accomplish and be the first man to stop Estrada? If he does, it will be one of the more impressive feats of Bam’s career and a testament that he’s a future star of the sport.
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