The Rise of Bam Rodriguez Threatens Japan's Hold of Super Fly, Bantamweight
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Jul 2024
Bam Rodriguez looking to finish Estrada.
Japan currently holds two of the major belts at super flyweight and all four championships at bantamweight. Potentially, it could be three at superfly with WBA titlist Kazuto Ioka fighting IBF champion Fernando Martinez in a unification on July 7 in Japan.
However, an ominous threat has risen from the West with the ascendance of Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez who recently won the WBC super flyweight belt by 7th round knockout of long time champion Juan Francisco Estrada. After the bout, Rodriguez expressed his intent to unify all belts at 115 lbs.
And possibly move up to the bantamweights afterwards.
This coupled with Estrada possibly making the long overdue move up to the bantamweight and Mexican bomber Julio Cesar Martinez as well as UK's fine boxer Sunny Edwards joining the fray at super flyweight and it looks like the Japanese hegemony at 115 to 118 lbs class is in real danger. Regardless if Ioka wins his unification versus Martinez this Saturday as that would only make Bam Rodriguez's quest to unify most if not all major belts at 115 lbs all the more easier.
Kosei Tanaka holds the WBO crown but he is considered as the weakest of the current titlists. Fact is, either of Mexico's JC Martinez or UK's Edwards would pose a solid threat if given the opportunity.
Uneasy also rests the crowns of at least two of Japan's world titlists at bantamweight namely Ryosuke Niida and Yoshiki Takei if Estrada makes the long overdue move to 118 lbs and gets the chance to fight any of them this year. Once Bam Rodriguez follows suit, even Takuma Inoue is not safe.
That is the quality of much improved opposition in these weight classes which became possible with the recent movements of top class fighters from the West all the way from the flyweights where Japan is lucky to crown only one titlist-- Seigo Yuri Akui-- in years. Given the current opposition at 112 lbs. Akui is not seen to last long.
The motivation of Bam Rodriguez and possibly many other top fighters from the West to move up to these divisions mostly ruled by Japanese champions is likewise fed by the rise of Japan as a high paying boxing destination.
Be that as it may, the UK has also shown its capability to hold high paying world championship fights in the lower weights. So does Saudi Arabia which is rising as the newest boxing capital of Asia.
Hence Japanese champions cannot always depend on the advantage of defending at home.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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