Author: Sean Crose

It’s part of up-to-date boxing. Competitors watch videos of other competitors they are about to face as often as possible. Watching what a player has done before can logically be an indication of what he will do again. Watching film of future opponents makes a lot of sense, and many, if not most, fighters do it whenever they have the opportunity. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, however, is a different story. The undefeated 23-0 fighter made it clear that watching the tape can be misleading. And indeed, this man is right because he points out that a player can easily change his strategy.

“I like to just go out for the first few rounds and see what they bring to the table,” Rodriguez told Boxing Scene. “You can go out and watch all the movies in the world and he can change his style on fight night.” So what does this man make of strategy? “Just go there and see what they bring.” There is no doubt that Rodriguez’s next opponent will be more than ecstatic to show Rodriguez what he can bring to the fight. On the 13th of this month, Rodriguez will face Antonio Vargas.

At stake will be the WBA bantamweight belt. If he wins, Rodriguez will be a three-time world champion. Suffice it to say, the scheduled 12-rounder against Vargas is a match Rodriguez is expected to win. But strange things happen in boxing, and Vargas is not a man to be taken lightly. This is especially true when you consider that Naoya Inoue could be on the horizon if Rodriguez wins. Regardless of whether he watches the video or not, Rodriguez will certainly want to step into the ring on January 13 in the best shape of his life

But the ever-confident Rodriguez doesn’t seem overwhelmed by where he’s at in his career. “A lot of people may not know who Antonio Vargas is,” Rodriguez said (via Boxing Scene ), “but me and my team do.” He may not be watching the film, but it’s clear that Rodriguez is getting to know his opponent next week. “We don’t take this lightly at all,” he said. “We are in the gym every day giving 100 percent.” Without a doubt, Vargas is training like never before. After all, he has plenty on the line on the 13th.

However, there is a reason why Rodriguez is the favorite. He is only 26 years senior, but he has already achieved many achievements in the ring. He is as talented and agile as he is tough and hazardous. Some might even argue that Rodriguez is the entire package one could want in a player. Rodriguez no doubt hopes that’s the case… or maybe he already believes it. Once again, this is not a man who probably lacks self-confidence. He’s proven a lot so far, and if he performs well against Vargas, he could start to prove a lot more.

However, it is worth noting that Vargas is also a confident person. And unlike Rodriguez, he may be watching his opponent’s video. “We focused on every detail,” he told British Boxing News. “Condition, strategy, sparring, everything was done at a masterful level.” Vargas added that: “I feel like I’ve reached another level during this camp. I’m hungry to show the boxing world this version of myself.”

Sounds like something completely novel. Perhaps Rodriguez is absolutely right that he doesn’t study the tape after all. In fact, the men’s approach to preparation has certainly proven effective so far.

*Photo: DAZN

Bill Haney has insisted that his son Devin will “absolutely” fight Shakur Stevenson, but only if terms are met at the negotiating table.

Both pound-for-pound stars have been linked to a move to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, perhaps with the intention of clashing under the promotional banner.

At this stage, Zuffa does not recognize the super lightweight division, where Stevenson won the WBO title by unanimous decision over Teofimo Lopez.

Thanks to this particular triumph, he became a four-division world champion in January, but if he signs a contract with Zuffa, the 28-year-old will have to choose between fighting in the lightweight or welterweight division.

Stevenson had previously insisted he would only face a welterweight opponent under one of two conditions: either a rehydration clause in his contract or a catchweight of 144 pounds.

However, it appears that Haney will not accept either option, as the WBO champion’s father told Cigar Talk host Naji that he will not accept such offers.

It doesn’t look like a Shakur Stevenson vs. Devin Haney fight will happen anytime soon. Speaking live with Bill Haney last night, it appears the two sides will be unable to agree on the importance of pic.twitter.com/88FNrlHMa7

— Naji (@NajiChill) June 5, 2026

While ruling out any possibility of a weight being set, Bill Haney said his son would face Stevenson at his usual fighting weight of 147 pounds.

Haney became the three-division world champion last November. dethroning Brian Norman Jr by unanimous decision after scoring a knockout in the second round.

Since then, there has been talk of a unification match with WBA champion Rolando Romero, which was initially supposed to take place on May 30.

However, with no official dates on the diary, the immediate future of both Haney and Stevenson remains quite hazy.

Chris Billam-Smith will face Ryan Rozicki in a cruiserweight main event tonight in Bournemouth, England, headlining Zuffa Boxing 7 and the promotion’s first event in the UK.

Billam-Smith enters the fight looking to move closer to a potential clash with unified cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, while Rozicki hopes to pick up the biggest win of his career and shake up the cruiserweight division.

Tonight’s card also features a cruiserweight clash between Jack Massey and Cheavon Clarke, as well as several other fights taking place at the Bournemouth International Centre.

Boxing News 24 will provide live scores, highlights and fight-by-fight updates throughout the event.

How to watch Billam-Smith vs. Rozicki

Start time: 2:00 PM ET

Prelims: 11:30 a.m. ET

Main event walks: approximately 5:00 PM ET

Streaming: Paramount+

Location: Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, England

Billam-Smith vs. Rozicki Card
Main event

Chris Billam-Smith vs. Ryan Rozicki – Cruiserweights

Subtab

Jack Massey vs. Cheavon Clarke – cruiserweight

Lee Cutler vs. Aaron Sutton – middleweight

Harvey Dykes vs Ivan Dychko – heavyweight

Live results

Results and updates will be added below as fights take place.

Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.

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Last updated: 6/06/2026 at 11:38