FIGHT WEEK
The little men will take center stage when Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards face off Saturday in Arizona. On the same day, in Minneapolis, top 168-pound contender David Morrell will face Sena Agbeko. And Jake Paul returns to the ring on Friday.
JESSE “BAM” RODRIGUEZ (18-0, 11 KOs)
vs. SUNNY EDWARDS (20-0, 4 KOs)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 16
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Division: Flyweight (112 pounds)
- At stake: Edwards’ IBF and Rodriguez’s WBO titles
- Odds: Rodriguez 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Kevin Gonzalez, junior featherweights; Galal Yafai vs. Rocco Santomauro, flyweights; Peter McGrail vs. Ja’Rico O’Quinn, junior featherweights
- Prediction: Rodriguez UD
- Background: Rodriguez and Edwards will face off in a battle of skillful, unbeaten little men who are on the precipice of stardom. Rodriguez, a 23-year-old from San Antonio, made a splash when he outpointed veteran Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant 115-pound title and knocked out rugged, experienced Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in his first defense last year. He defended one more time before moving down to 112 pounds, at which he easily outpointed Cristian Gonzalez to win a major belt and become a two-division champ. Edwards is a light puncher but that hasn’t prevented him from dominating his opponents. The 27-year-old from London took Moruti Mthalane’s 112-pound title by a one-sided decision in 2021 and has successfully defended four times. He’s coming off a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Andres Campos on June 10. Edwards will be making his U.S. debut.
DAVID MORRELL (9-0, 8 KOs)
vs. SENA AGBEKO (28-2, 22, KOs)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 16
- Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
- TV/Stream: Showtime
- Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds)
- At stake: No major titles
- Odds: Morrell 9-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Julio Cesar Martinez vs. Angelino Cordova, flyweights (for Martinez’s WBC title); Chris Colbert vs. Jose Valenzuela, lightweights; Kenneth Sims Jr. vs. Alfredo Santiago, junior welterweights
- Prediction: Morrell KO 8
- Background: Morrell, the gifted product of the Cuban amateur system, has been pushing for a showdown with fellow contender David Benavidez and other big-time fights. And those events will come if he continues to dominate opponents. The 25-year-old southpaw has knocked out eight of his nine foes – including Yamaguchi Falcao in the first round in April – and has barely lost a round in his fast-tracked professional career. He’s a significant favorite to beat Agbeko. The 31-year-old Ghanaian has won five consecutive fights (four by knockout) since he lost a near-shutout decision against Vladimir Shishkin in 2021. His most recent fight was on Oct. 14, when he stopped journeyman Bruno Leonardo Romay in two rounds. However, Morrell is a significant step up in opposition for him. Agbeko lives in Nashville.
JAKE PAUL (7-1, 4 KOs)
vs. ANDRE AUGUST (10-1-1, 5 KOs)
- Date: Friday, Dec. 15
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Caribe Royale Orlando, Orlando, Florida
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
- At stake: No major titles
- Odds: Paul 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Shadasia Green vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn, super middleweights (for vacant WBC title); Yoenis Tellez vs. Livan Navarro, junior middleweights
- Prediction: Paul SD
- Background: Paul still has dreams of winning a world title. To do that he’ll have to gain experience against actual boxers, not fellow YouTubers or MMA stars. That’s where Andre August comes in. The 35-year-old Texan will be only the second boxer Paul, 26, has faced, following his split decision loss to Tommy Fury this past February. Paul bounced back from his first setback by easily outpointing MMA fighter Nate Diaz in August. August probably is no better than Fury was. He has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by journeyman Eric Abraham in 2018 but he has faced no one of note and has taken part only in four- and six-rounders. The fight on Friday is set for eight rounds.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
- Batyrzhan Jukembayev vs. Mohamed Mimoune, junior welterweights, Plant City, Florida (PorBox TV)
THURSDAY
- Jose Sanchez vs. Walter Santibanes, junior featherweights, Indio, California (DAZN)
- Kubrat Pulev vs. Andrzej Wawrzyk, heavyweights, Costa Mesa, California (FITE)
SATURDAY
- Sam Goodman vs. Zhong Liu, junior featherweights, Sydney, Australia (No TV in U.S.)
- Francesco Grandelli vs. Stefan Voda, featherweights, Turin, Italy (ESPN+)
- Tsendbaatar Erdenebat vs. Yohan Vasquez, junior lightweights, New York (BoxingInsider)
- Yesica Nery Plata vs. Sarah Bormann, junior flyweights (for Plata’s WBA and WBC titles), Karlsruhe, Germany (no TV in U.S.)
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