Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez returns, but with a new challenge on his quest for history.
It was revealed on Friday that the pound-for-pound great and unified super flyweight champion will move to 118 pounds to challenge Antonio Vargas for the WBA bantamweight championship on Saturday, June 13, from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, live and exclusively on DAZN.
RodriguezĀ (23-0, 16 KOs) was looking to become the undisputed super flyweight champion after blowing out Fernando Martinez by 10th-round knockout in November. However, IBF titlist Willibaldo Garcia is stuck in a mandatory defense againstĀ Andrew Moloney on June 6. Instead of waiting, Rodriguez wanted to get into the ring and pursue the chance to become a three-division world champion.Ā
āNew weight class, same goals ā dominate and pick up all the belts,ā Rodriguez said in a statement. āOn June 13, I look forward to becoming a three-division World Champion.ā
Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) last fought in July, going to a draw withĀ Daigo Higa. Now, he will be taking on by far his toughest date in standing across the ring against one of the sport's premier fighters.Ā
āJesse āBamā Rodriguez is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and thatās exactly why I took this fight,ā Vargas also said in a statement. āThese are the moments champions live for. I respect his skill, his IQ, everything he brings to the ring. I look forward to defending my WBA World title, and Iām ready to prove that Iām one of the best fighters in my weight class.
āIāve worked my entire life to become a World champion, and Iām going to defend it with everything I have. Iām focused, Iām prepared, and everyone is going to see the best version of myself. But most of all, I fight to glorify Jesus Christ.ā
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