The most mouthwatering unification at 115 lbs has seemingly evaded Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, whose route towards undisputed now hangs in the balance.
As one of boxing’s rising pound-for-pound stars, WBC world super flyweight champion Jesse Rodriguez has left fans waiting in anticipation following his destructive third-round finish over Pedro Guevara.
The emphatic stoppage arrived on the undercard of Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis earlier this month, with the 24-year-old taking care of his mandatory challenger in scintillating fashion.
But now, Bam may be forced to reconsider his next move, with WBA super flyweight champion Fernando Martinez ruling himself out of a potential unification.
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Fernando Martinez will defend his WBA title in a rematch against Kazuto Ioka
Martinez claimed his first world title after upsetting the odds against long-reigning IBF champion Jerwin Ancajas back in 2022.
Then, in their immediate rematch, the Argentinian produced an equally dominant 12-round performance to retain his strap, before stepping into the ring with Kazuto Ioka.
Sure enough, Martinez was once again able to score a sizable upset, utilizing his strength and aggression to outwork the seasoned operator through 12 rounds.
Shortly after adding the WBA strap to his collection, though, ‘Pumita’ was ordered to make a mandatory defense of his IBF title against top contender Willibaldo Garcia.
Knowing that a rematch with Ioka would materialize towards the end of this year, however, Martinez ultimately decided to vacate his red and gold belt.
And so, it has now been announced that the 33-year-old will return to Japan for his second encounter with the four-division world champion on December 31.
Will Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez face Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez instead?
Rodriguez has always insisted that his ultimate goal is to become the undisputed champion at super flyweight – but now his options have been significantly diluted.
While he could face WBO champion Phumelela Cafu – or perhaps even the winner of Garcia and Rene Calixto’s mooted clash for the vacant IBF crown – neither matchup would, in truth, add much to his legacy.
Instead, the American would benefit from setting his sights on legendary boxer Roman ‘Chololatito’ Gonzalez who, despite not offering a belt, would nonetheless make for a far more intriguing showdown.