The little men will take center stage when Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards face off in a 112-pound title-unification bout Saturday in Arizona.
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.
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