Boxing
All roads lead to Japan to Estrada and Bama
BLOCKBUSTER at galas in Japan awaits the winner of Saturday’s WBC and Ring Magazine super flyweight fight between Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
Estrada returns to the ring in December 2022 after an epic trilogy victory over Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez that will see his belts on the line in Phoenix, Arizona.
There will be another pound-for-pound star on the plate who shares the 34-year-old’s desire to dominate the other 115-pound champions.
In recent years, boxing’s lower leagues have been largely dominated by Mexican and Japanese fighters.
These fighters – or killers as they are perhaps more aptly called – have shone a spotlight on traditionally less popular weight classes in the sport with their undeniable talent.
Naoya Inoue
Powerhouse boxer and future star Naoya Inoue, who is currently the undisputed super bantamweight champion, has gained more interest in fights like this weekend’s with his electric performances.
The 31-year-old poked fun at the misconception that those fighting in the lighter divisions are “hard-hitting”, pulverizing champions who are themselves among boxing’s most elite.
But Inoue isn’t the only one who should be praised for bringing a novel perspective to the sub-135-pound fights.
His marketability in Japan has indeed exponentially increased the earning potential of fighters at and around the same weight, but there is also something to be said about Kazuto Ioka and Kosei Tanaka, two sensational super flyweight beltholders who, along with Estrada and Rodriguez, are looking to take first place in the division.
Kazuto Ioka (Naoki Fukuda)
Ioka emerged victorious when the pair faced each other in 2020, stopping Tanaka with a vicious attack in the eighth round.
The 35-year-old has since extended his unbeaten streak even further, while his former opponent has bounced back impressively, winning the WBO belt in his last fight.
Ioka now looks to unify the titles by defeating IBF champion Fernando Daniel Martinez on July 7. Less than two weeks later, Tanaka will also defend his belt in Japan.
With Japan quickly becoming a hotbed of lower-league talent, there is no doubt that either Estrada or Bam will soon have a career-defining fight – potentially for the undisputed crown – in one of the most successful boxing territories in the world.
For Estrada, the motivation is clear. On the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel – in a recent behind-the-scenes episode of “Make the Days Count” – the Mexican announced that he intends to stay in the sport for another four years.
Having consolidated his legacy after three brilliant wars with Chocolatito, Estrada is set to not only seal his greatness, but also prove his longevity by ending a nearly 20-year career.
Rodriguez, despite being ten years younger than his next opponent, is in a similar hurry to win accolades.
First, the American hopes to reclaim his former WBC title by returning to the Footprint Center, where he gained brilliance after defeating super flyweight veteran Carlos Cuadras in 2022.
Just a few months later, in what many described as a coming-of-age performance, Bam defended his belt with an eighth-round victory over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, one of the most fearsome operators in the division, before leaving his post and moving up to flyweight in pursuit of bigger silverware. .
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 16: Jesse Rodriguez (R) of the United States throws a right at Clear Edwards of Great Britain during their fight for the IBF and WBO flyweight world titles at Desert Diamond Arena on December 16, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona . (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
It was at the end of last year, during the unification with the British Clear Edwards, that Rodriguez showed that he could offer more than just spectacular footwork and piercing combinations. He stood in the pocket, held his legs and put on a punishing, malicious display, forcing a stoppage in the ninth round corner.
With Bam now expressing his desire to face Inoue in the future, there is no incentive to pump up any breaks in his progress.
Rather, in preparation for his next assignment, he was forced to raise his level again; joint sparring rounds with Chocolatito – a spectacle before which most boxers can only dream of being a fly on the wall.
So while Estrada and Bam – two consummate professionals – will obviously remain focused on the task at hand, it may be complex for them to distract themselves from the booming boxing market in Japan, where the lower leagues of the sport continue to flourish. .
Boxing
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