Teddy Atlas weighed in on how Jesse Rodriguez would fare against Naoya Inoue after his sixth-round knockout of Antonio Vargas.

“Bam” dethroned Vargas and became world champion in three weight categories last Saturday, despite scoring a sixth consecutive shutout, many felt the 26-year-old performed below his typically elite standards.

Such high expectations can be explained by the American’s phenomenal skills, which saw him score significant victories over the likes of Juan Francisco Estrada and Bright Edwards.

However, in his first appearance at 118 pounds, Rodriguez faced a solid opponent in Vargas, who may have had more success than most expected.

“Bam” then finally pinned the Olympian with a keen left hand, sent him to the canvas and ultimately won the WBA bantamweight title.

As a result, fans are now clamoring for a clash between Rodriguez and Inoue following a balanced points victory over Junto Nakatani.

By defeating his Japanese rival, “The Monster” successfully defended his undisputed super bantamweight crown for the seventh time and arguably cemented his position as the No. 1 pound-for-pound star of the sport.

Hall of Fame coach Atlas also said the 33-year-old has a wealth of experience his YouTube channel that he thinks Inoue may be too experienced for ‘Bama.

“[Rodriguez is] still 26 [years old]and he will go there with someone who could become one of the best of all time.

– Bam can finally stay [an all-time great] too, but Bam is still there for a while [behind Inoue] in his career.

“Spice – that might be the difference. I know Bam would be different – he’d be more insecure against a guy like Inoue – but [he] he can’t afford to be labeled like that [against Vargas]”

On the other hand, it could be said that at 33 years ancient, Inoue is more vulnerable than ever, especially if he ends up facing an elite champion like “Bam.”

– Is that what I’m afraid of? Itauma said to talkSPORT Boxing.

After repeating the question, the 21-year-old paused again.

“Did you say fear?”

Itauma finally responded, saying that he viewed boxing as a puzzle and believed that proper preparation could solve any challenge facing him. But what was most striking was what happened next.

The conversation had already flowed, but Itauma returned to the topic once again.

“No, I’m just shocked that you said that,– Itauma told the hosts.

For a player who is usually measured and composed in interviews, this exchange was noteworthy. Itauma had no problem discussing Hrgovic’s strengths, praising the Croatian as one of the best heavyweights available and describing the achievements on his resume. However, the suggestion that he might be afraid of his opponent seemed to strike a different chord.

Whether it was surprise, pride, or straightforward disbelief, Itauma didn’t want to let that word pass without referring to it a few times.

For an undefeated heavyweight who prides himself on being the epitome of supreme self-confidence, just hearing the word “fear” associated with his name was a huge shock to his system. If it didn’t bother him, he would have just laughed, replied quickly, “I’m not afraid of any man,” and let the interview continue.

Instead, look at how he reacted:

• He completely froze and told the host to repeat the question twice to make sure he heard correctly.
• He gave his standard PR-friendly answer that boxing was a conundrum that seemed like a defense mechanism to regain control of his thoughts.
• The biggest advantage is that he came back to this topic after the topic had already changed.

This last part is the smoking gun. This means that the question was actively floating around in his head while they were talking about something else. He couldn’t let go because his pride was hurt. He wanted to make it clear to the hosts and anyone listening that even suggesting he felt fear was absurd.

It shows that while he may see his opponents as puzzles to solve, he’s still a 21-year-old fighter with a lot of pride, and the media can certainly get under his skin if they hit the right nerve.

When the prospect of being undefeated becomes the next massive thing, they start living in a bubble where everyone tells them they are undefeated. Itauma is tearing through his opponents and the media is treating him as the savior of the heavyweight division. In his opinion, he is the biggest predator.

So when a reporter asks him if he’s afraid of anyone, he completely undermines that narrative. It forces him to look at himself through a normal, human lens, and his ego simply cannot process it. To him, the question itself was an insult because it suggested he was vulnerable.

Itauma couldn’t bear to have his image of supreme dominance disturbed. It is exactly the same inability to let go of noticeable smallness. He had to come back to it because his pride was damaged, proving that despite all the hype, he is still human and can definitely be shaken.

The timing is engaging considering the dynamics surrounding the fight. For much of his career, Hrgovic has rejected the notion that he is merely a stepping stone for boxing’s fastest-rising heavyweight prospect. Meanwhile, Itauma seems equally resistant to any suggestion that another heavyweight might take the place in his mind as a feared figure.

Their fight on August 29 at London’s O2 Arena will decide which of the fighters is legitimate. Hrgovic believes he will reveal the hype surrounding the youngster, while Itauma has made it clear he sees the Croatian as another obstacle to solve rather than someone to worry about.

Peter Fury is receiving praise for his latest efforts as a coach, but there is one player the 58-year-old admitted he is “really excited about”, promising to take him to the very top of the sport.

Fury’s famous nephew, Tyson Fury, trained him to a unified heavyweight world title, orchestrating an iconic victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015but upon his return, the “Gypsy King” decided to hire a up-to-date cornerback.

Since then, Peter Fury has continued to train his son, Hughie Fury, and guided Savannah Marshall to the undisputed super middleweight world title, but he recently drew praise for his partnership with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, who pushed Oleksandr Usyk to the limit in his fight for the heavyweight crown last month.

However, while Verhoeven impressed on the massive stage under Fury’s tutelage, the veteran coach is now trying to develop multiple national amateur champion and nephew, James Dean Fury, into a superstar.

I’m talking to Boxing King’s MediaJames Dean Fury certainly anticipated his rise to the top, believing that experience is the only thing currently keeping him from mixing at an elite level after announcing his move to the professional scene.

“Right now, all I want to do is achieve the best version of myself and fulfill my dream of becoming world champion, and whoever it is at that moment will definitely achieve it. I believe in myself, I believe that I am the best in the world and all I need is experience and rounds, and then I will definitely achieve it.”

Meanwhile, in a conversation with About boxingPeter Fury has declared he is “really excited” as he prepares to train another nephew to become a world champion.

“I’m really excited about him because he’s as good as he says he is. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be with me. He’s been with me since I was a baby, he’s close to me, I look at him like he’s my boy, like he’s my son. I have a vested interest in him because he’s my boy, right? He’s my brother’s son and I’ve had him since I was a baby.”

“So for me there’s a great reward waiting for me, to be able to see this adolescent guy fight his way to the top – and he will. He will do it because I can do it and if I have something to do with it, he will definitely do it. Believe me, he is a real talent.”

James Dean Fury has signed a contract with BOXXER and Boxing News understands he could make his professional ring debut Undercard Williamson-Simpson II in Leeds on Saturday, August 8.