Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, one of boxing’s brightest talents, was compared by former champion and commentator Tim Bradley to Terence Crawford, one of the most complete fighters of the last decade and a historic three-division champion, after his victory against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 13 in Las Vegas.
Bradley highlighted ‘Bam’s ability to generate offense without resorting to tricks or guard changes:
He is a Mexican Crawford without the change of style. It’s more about fighting from angles
Bradley even dared to predict a resounding finish for his upcoming unification fight against Argentina’s Fernando ‘Puma’ Martinez on November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; part of the event headlined by David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde:
It could go to six. It could go to seven. Yes, he (Martinez) is strong, but Bam is special
What do Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Terence Crawford have in common? Comparisons and differences
Despite the direct comparison, Rodriguez and Crawford’s styles differ, while ‘Bud’ is characterized by his technical boxing, switch-hitting and counter-punching, ‘Bam’ prefers the short fight, constant pressure and punishment from inside the ring.
Bradley explained the differences between the two fighters:
Bam doesn’t fight like Crawford. Unlike Bud, who tends to move around a lot and counterpunch, Bam likes to fight on the inside. He is not afraid of punches and does not move much. He is the opposite of Crawford
At 25 years of age and with an undefeated record of 22-0 (15 KOs), Bam already holds two WBA and WBO super flyweight belts. His offensive, explosive and high-tempo style has made him a fan favorite.
Bradley’s criticism of Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s recognition
In his analysis, Bradley also lamented what he sees as a lack of recognition for Rodriguez, both by the media and Mexican fans:
Nobody talks enough about Bam. I don’t think Bam gets that respect from the Mexican people
While Crawford dominates boxing with impressive performances like his showdown against ‘Canelo’, Jesse Rodriguez is quietly advancing with dominance in the ring, but without yet receiving that global superstar status.
The nickname “Mexican Crawford” not only raises expectations for Jesse Rodriguez, but also positions him as one of the key names for the immediate future of boxing.
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