Takuma Inoue Wants the Winner of Rodriguez-Vargas
An interested observer for the June 13 battle between WBA bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Antonio Vargas is reigning WBC bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue. Should Rodriguez emerge victorious, Inoue would welcome the opportunity to face one of boxing’s pound-for-pound elite fighters next.
BRING ON BAM
It’s no secret that Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) has a long-term goal of eventually facing undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue. While making the media rounds ahead of his clash with Vargas, Rodriguez stated that defeating the WBC champion would be an ideal step toward securing a future mega-fight with the Japanese superstar.
Upon hearing Rodriguez’s comments, Takuma (22-2, 5 KOs) wasted little time responding on social media, making it clear that he is more than willing to share the ring with the undefeated two-division champion.
Fresh off a dominant unanimous decision victory over future Hall of Famer Kazuto Ioka on May 2 in Japan, the WBC champion appears to be performing at the highest level of his career. In fact, some observers believe the 30-year-old has a legitimate claim as the best bantamweight in the world.
Armed with speed, athleticism, and refined boxing skills, Inoue possesses the confidence of a champion and believes he has the tools necessary to hand Rodriguez his first professional defeat. Stylistically, the matchup would rank among the most intriguing fights in boxing’s lower-weight divisions.
A potential showdown would also carry significant financial appeal. If staged in Japan, Rodriguez and Inoue could both benefit from a lucrative payday while giving fans a high-level clash between two of the sport’s premier smaller-weight fighters.
Of course, all discussions of a Rodriguez-Inoue fight depend on Bam first taking care of business against Vargas on June 13. Regardless of the outcome, Takuma Inoue has made one thing abundantly clear: if Rodriguez wins, the WBC champion is ready to rumble.
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