SAN ANTONIO – Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is once again boxing’s youngest in charge.
The unbeaten 23-year-old is now a two-division titlist after claiming a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Mexico’s Cristian Gonzalez. Scores were 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110 for Rodriguez, who claimed the WBO flyweight title in their DAZN-aired main event Saturday evening from Boeing Center at Tech Port in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas.
The win saw Rodriguez—already the sport’s first 2000-born boxer to win a major title—become the first Gen-Z boxer to do so in two weight divisions. The latest opportunity came after he vacated his WBC junior bantamweight title to drop down in weight. It came at a cost, as he revealed an injured jaw suffered midway through the bout.
Gonzalez said a final prayer and tapped his corner before sprinting out to center ring for his first career title fight. The baby-faced 32-year-old from Tultitlan, Mexico—who also made his U.S. debut—hoped to put his height and reach advantage to proper use. Neither were a match for Rodriguez’s superior skill set as the local southpaw pumped his jab and threw straight left hands to keep Gonzalez on the move.
Rodriguez kept everything tight and down the middle in round two as he landed in combination. Gonzalez enjoyed a brief moment of success when he dropped a right hand over the top but Rodriguez immediately responded with a left hand. Rodriguez was dialed in with his left hand and right hook as Gonzalez was sent in retreat mode in his best effort to minimize the damage.
Gonzlaez boxed entirely from the outside throughout the third round. Rodriguez was unbothered by the tactic as he quickly cut off the ring. The crowd was displeased by a low blow call midway through the round though Rodriguez quickly rallied the troops. An overhand left snapped back the head of Gonzalez, who barely fended off a right hook. Rodriguez scored with a right hook to the body before coming back upstairs with another left hand to rock Gonzalez who wildly missed a reactionary left hook at the bell.
Rodriguez continued the one-sided attack in round four. Gonzalez quickly ran out of ring space and was forced to stand his ground as Rodriguez connected with a right uppercut and left hand. Gonzalez managed a right hand to the body. Rodriguez responded with left hands upstairs to repeatedly snap back Gonzalez’s head along the ropes.
A positive take from Gonzalez’s offering was that he flashed a stellar chin. However, it was clear that Rodriguez was slowly breaking the will of the visiting challenger as he continued to land to the body and head with conviction.
Rodriguez fired off successive combinations in round six, to which Gonzalez could only offer single counter right hands in return. Chants of ‘BAM’ filled the crowd as they tried to will into existence a knockout ending. Gonzalez’s mobile defense disallowed that outcome at least at that moment, as Rodriguez remained poised and didn’t waste any punches.
Gonzalez continued to show bravery that far exceeded his ability to turn the tide. Rodriguez was as effective though if not as active as the fight crept into the second half. Gonzalez was able to stick and move which allowed him to lessen the inflicted damage from Rodriguez’s clean power shots.
Rodriguez immediately off the ring to begin round eight. Gonzalez was reduced to pushing his jab as his punches lacked any snap. He continued to circle to his right, as Rodriguez peppered him with jabs and straight left hands.
More of the same transpired as the fight hit double digit rounds. Referee Mark Calo-oy continued to check on Gonzalez between rounds although there was never a real threat of a stoppage despite the one-sided affair. Gonzalez continued to circle to Rodriguez’s left though he briefly mixed it up and landed a left to the body at center ring. Rodriguez responded with a crisp jab and went back on the hunt.
Rodriguez woke up the crowd midway through round eleven. A jab and left hand bounced off Gonzalez’s head, though the sweat flying in the air created a more dramatic moment than the actual impact.
Gonzalez followed with his best combination of the fight, from which he believed he was cheated out of a knockdown. A jab landed followed by a right hand. Rodriguez stepped with his right foot over his left, causing him to lose balance. Gonzalez (15-2, 6KOs) pointed to the canvas and waited for the referee to count though the sequence was ruled a slip.
The crowd rose to its feet as the seconds counted down to end the twelfth and final round. Rodriguez and Gonzalez exchanged hooks moments after Rodriguez trapped Gonzalez in a corner though unable to close the show.
He instead settled for a landslide win and his second claimed title within the past 14 months. Rodriguez rolled to 18-0 (11KOs) and was emphatic in who he wants next.
“Sunny Edwards,” insisted Rodriguez even through the pain of speaking through his injury.
