Estrada Steers Clear of Rodriguez To Seek Glory Elsewhere
Two-division world champion “El Gallo” Juan Francisco Estrada’s (44-4, 28KO) decision to forgo the rematch with WBC super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (20-0, 13KO) will be heavily scrutinized.
The boxing news cycle is buzzing as ESPN Knockout reports that El Gallo will not only pass on rematching Rodriguez but is moving up to bantamweight. It’s a shocking decision that leaves fans wondering why make such a move and miss out on a potential big payday in the rematch.
On June 29, the boxing community witnessed the birth of a star as Rodriguez pounded Estrada to score a seventh-round stoppage. That victory earned the WBC champion a spot on 3kingsboxing.com Top Ten Fighter’s list, as well as honors on most pound for pound lists.
Estrada wasted no time expressing a desire to invoke the rematch clause. Moreover, he acknowledged the mistakes made in the ring, and promised things would be different in the next fight.
A GOOD OR BAD DECISION?
So, why the change of heart? The hard truth is Estrada may have realized that nothing would change in the rematch. Outside of knocking down Rodriguez in the sixth round, he was getting outworked the majority of the fight. Estrada may come under criticism from some inside the boxing community who feel that he should take the rematch.
Why move up in weight? Estrada could take on WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani and possibly make more money. If he’s looking to become a three-division champion, fights with Takuma Inoue (WBA), Ryosuke Nishida (IBF), or Yoshiki Takei (WBO) are good options.
Boxing fans can be fickle. Some will see this as a smart move for the older fighter on the way out of the sport. Others may see this as a black mark on his legacy.
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