Bam Wants Inoue. Vargas Stands in the Way
I ended my last article by saying that the sweet science is “alive and punching.” When I typed those words, I had these names in mind.
Rodriguez. Inoue. Vargas. Three fighters, zero shenanigans. 100% boxing for boxing’s sake.
Only two of them will meet in the ring on Sunday (Manila time), but whether they like it or not, the fates of all three fighters are intertwined at this point.
Each of them wants something. Badly, I’d say. What happens this weekend will go a long way in determining who gets what.
Bam Wants Inoue (And the Feeling Is Mutual)
Athletes are told to never, ever be satisfied. If there’s any boxer who took that advice to heart, it’s Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
Here’s a guy who has hunted glory across different weight classes and succeeded, oftentimes in resounding fashion. Bam, undefeated at 23-0 with 16 KO victories, has transitioned from light flyweight to flyweight to junior bantamweight like he was switching channels on TV.
Rodriguez’s trophy case already contains a cache of championship gold from two weight divisions: flyweight and super flyweight. Call these the fruits of his labor for a technician whose precise footwork allows him to find angles for clean shots, all while keeping him out of harm’s way.
The former champion, by the way, has a brotherly relationship with Nonito Donaire. There’s a viral clip online of a 12-year-old Bam joining Donaire in the ring during a 2012 media workout. In this clip, Rodriguez threw jabs and some 1-2 combinations into Donaire’s palms, leading “The Filipino Flash” to offer a compliment: “He’s gonna be good, man.”
Those words turned out to be prophetic. 12 years later, Rodriguez holds the no. 4 spot in the pound-for-pound rankings of The Ring Magazine. From the looks of it, he has his eyes on no. 1. It’s a scary sight, though.
They call Naoya Inoue “The Monster” for good reason.
When it comes to cranking up the fear in an opponent’s heart, Inoue is the sensei. Like a boogeyman stalking victims at night, Inoue puts relentless pressure on his opponent by constantly moving forward, throwing unorthodox combinations, and landing body shots that put liver health at risk.
Last month, the Japanese sensation was named pound-for-pound king after he defended his undisputed junior featherweight titles against Junto Nakatani. Following his 33rd professional win, the 33-year-old dethroned heavyweight star Oleksandr Usyk in the rankings (almost foreshadowing Usyk’s less-than-stellar performance against kickboxing master Rico Verhoeven two weeks later).
Right after the grueling Nakatani encounter, Inoue sat down with boxing analyst Mike Coppinger, who brought up a dream match that fight fans have been buzzing about. Would Inoue get in the ring with the unbeaten two-division champion (and threat to the pound-for-pound throne) by the name of Bam Rodriguez?
“Yes…It’s all about the timing,” Inoue replied.
Now, reports are circulating that Rodriguez will return the favor. This weekend, he’ll allegedly call out Inoue to move their highly anticipated bout one step closer to reality.
That is, if he takes care of business first. This weekend, Rodriguez has a fight, and not just any fight. Not just any fighter, either.
Put Some Respect to the Name of Vargas
When is it not fun to be a champion? Answer: When you’re getting overlooked and even dismissed as a foregone conclusion.
Antonio Vargas is the reigning, defending WBA bantamweight champion of the world. This designation has now been made crystal clear after a year-and-a-half period in which the WBA flip-flopped between recognizing Vargas and former titlist Seiya Tsutsumi as their bantamweight champ.
With Tsutsumi being designated as a “Champion in Recess” due to a medical condition, there are no interim tags on Vargas this time. To the credit of the Kissimmee, Florida native, he has earned this distinction.
A Pan American Games gold medalist and 2016 Olympian, Vargas won the first 10 fights of his pro career. The 29-year-old has a few blemishes on his career (a first-round loss in May 2019, a no contest, and a draw), but Vargas currently boasts 19 wins with 11 coming by way of knockout.
Yet, when Vargas steps into the ring against the challenger ordered by the WBA, he’ll be a massive underdog against one of the finest pound-for-pound specimens in the boxing world. And he knows it.
“My name is not that big,” Vargas told The Ring Magazine after this fight was announced in April. “I know beating a guy like this, it’ll put my name on the map, and give me the exposure I’ve been looking for.”
Against the Goliath that is Rodriguez, Vargas will have two weapons to wield: his right and his left. The ambidextrous slugger can comfortably counterpunch his way out of sticky situations, making his opponents think twice about overcommitting.
What happens if Vargas scores an upset over Rodriguez in their bantamweight title bout? That could alter the pound-for-pound rankings, the prospects of a certain dream fight, and the narrative of a “forgotten champion.”
Vargas wants respect. Rodriguez wants supremacy. Inoue wants the summit all to himself.
Who gets what? Rodriguez vs. Vargas, a showcase of the sweet science, will have answers.
Catch Bam Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas live on DAZN this Sunday (Manila time). The event is scheduled to start at 7:00 am; the ringwalk is projected to begin at 9:35 am.
Stay tuned to ALL-STAR for live, round-by-round coverage of the Rodriguez vs. Vargas fight, plus the Eddie Hall vs. Tommy Fury crossover bout that takes place at around 5:30 am.
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