Boxing is full of superstars in 2024. That’s usually the case in the sport, given how many boxers are constantly coming up through the ranks. We can go all day about who the true face of boxing is, but the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta Davis, Terence Crawford and more can claim they’re the best of the best, and they complement that with name power.
Those three and other boxers like Oleksandr Usyk and Artur Beterbiev frequently appear on Top 10 pound-for-pound lists. But there are two boxers at lower weights who might be the best of all of them at the moment. One of them, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, is getting ready to defend his WBC super flyweight title against Pedro Guevara this weekend. Dubbed a “legend slayer“, Rdodriguz has picked up big wins over Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Sunny Edwards and Juan Francisco Estrada.
While Bam dominates flyweight and super flyweight, Naoya Inoue has been cleaning up at super bantamweight. Now 28-0 and with knockouts in his last nine bouts, Inoue is considered by many to be the straight-up best boxer on the planet right now.
Could Jesse Rodriguez fight Naoya Inoue at 122?
Although they are currently at different weights, Rodriguez hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a show-stopping fight against Inoue. He spoke to BoxingScene.com recently for an interview.
Yeah, of course, down the line, I think it could happen. It’s just a matter of time before it happens. That’s something we have to discuss with the team. It’s a risky fight to move up two weight classes against a natural 122-pounder. We would have to talk about it.
Inoue is taller and his body is more filled out than Rodriguez, but Bam will grow stronger and fill his frame as he gets older. Inoue has seven years on Rodriguez. But a fight between the two could be inevitable if they continue to dominate in similar weight divisions.
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