Jesse Rodriguez scored a stunning upset when he outpointed Carlos Cuadras on Saturday in Phoenix.
Jesse Rodriguez’s life has changed overnight.
The relatively unknown flyweight from San Antonio agreed a week ago to face respected former junior bantamweight champ Carlos Cuadras on Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix after Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness.
Impossible task? Evidently not.
Rodriguez, only 22, put his Mexican foe down and outboxed him to win a wide decision and a secondary WBC 115-pound title in a stunning upset. Juan Francisco Estrada is the top WBC beltholder.
Cuadras (39-5-1, 27 KOs) got off to a strong start but he went down from a right uppercut in Round 3, after which the underdog took over. Rodriguez was too quick and too slick for the 33-year-old from Mexico City.
The scores were 117-110 (nine rounds to three), 117-110 and 115-112.
Cuadras has now lost consecutive fights, having been stopped by Estrada in the 11th round of what had been a war in October 2020. He appears to be out of the title picture in a deep division for the moment.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez (15-0, 10 KOs) is in the thick of it even though he wasn’t even an afterthought a week ago.
Jesse Rodriguez scored a stunning upset when he outpointed Carlos Cuadras on Saturday in Phoenix.
Jesse Rodriguez’s life has changed overnight.
The relatively unknown flyweight from San Antonio agreed a week ago to face respected former junior bantamweight champ Carlos Cuadras on Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix after Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness.
Impossible task? Evidently not.
Rodriguez, only 22, put his Mexican foe down and outboxed him to win a wide decision and a secondary WBC 115-pound title in a stunning upset. Juan Francisco Estrada is the top WBC beltholder.
Cuadras (39-5-1, 27 KOs) got off to a strong start but he went down from a right uppercut in Round 3, after which the underdog took over. Rodriguez was too quick and too slick for the 33-year-old from Mexico City.
The scores were 117-110 (nine rounds to three), 117-110 and 115-112.
Cuadras has now lost consecutive fights, having been stopped by Estrada in the 11th round of what had been a war in October 2020. He appears to be out of the title picture in a deep division for the moment.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez (15-0, 10 KOs) is in the thick of it even though he wasn’t even an afterthought a week ago.
Carlos Cuadras is still dreaming of dominating the deep 115-pound division.
Carlos Cuadras was disappointed when he learned that Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled out of his fight this Saturday in Phoenix. And he’s determined to avenge two losses to rival Juan Francisco Estrada, including an 11th-round knockout in his most-recent bout.
However, his focus at the moment is squarely on unbeaten Jesse Rodriguez, who replaced Sor Rungvisai in the upcoming bout for a vacant secondary WBC title at Footprint Center (DAZN).
“I have no plans right now,” Cuadras told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “First, I have to walk away with my hand [raised] in victory. Then I’ll talk to my promoter, Mr. Honda. He knows the best decision for my career.
“I’m going to wait and see what he says. I’m ready for anything.”
Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) was ready for Estrada in their rematch, in October 2020. The Mexicans gave fans a memorable war before the WBC champ put Cuadras down twice in Round 11 and stopped him in Mexico City.
That was Cuadras’ first title fight since 2016, when Roman Gonzalez took the WBC belt from him. “Chocolatito” would lose it to Sor Rungvisai, who would then hand it over to Estrada.
Estrada is currently the WBC’s “franchise” champion, meaning he’s the sanctioning body’s top titleholder.
“I learned not to fall into his style,” said Cuadras, referring to what he took away from the Estrada fight. “My style is faster, I move my legs more. It was an error standing and exchanging with him when I know how to fight a different way.
“… If I fight my fight, I win a wide decision.”
Cuadras could get a third shot at Estrada, although things got complicated because of the coronavirus.
He was part of an informal tournament that was designed to produce the top champion at 115 pounds, him vs. Sor Rungvisai on Saturday and Estrada vs. Gonzalez on March 5. The winners would then have fought one another for junior bantamweight supremacy.
However, first Estrada and then Sor Rungvisai contracted COVID-19 and everything changed. Cuadras has Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs) on Saturday and Gonzalez will now fight respected flyweight champ Julio Cesar Martinez next month.
There are still compelling fights on the horizon, however. Cuadras would love a shot at the Gonzalez-Martinez winner or go directly into a third fight with Estrada. Both of those fights would give him a chance to win another full championship.
Cuadras probably is the least accomplished of the big four. He’s 1-3 in fights against them, the victory coming against Sor Rungvisai. Estrada is 4-2, Sor Rungvisai 3-2 and Gonzalez 2-3.
Cuadras is proud to be grouped with his rivals, who have produced a series of classic brawls. They’re collectively a sort of mini version of the great Four Kings, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Ray Leonard.
And there are more fights to come among them, even as they continue to age. Cuadras is 33.
“It’s really an honor to be compared to those legends,” he said. “I want to move forward and continue to be compared to them. … I have two or three years or more. When I feel I’m in decline, I’ll say, ‘OK, this is the end.’ Look at Nonito Donaire, though. He’s a world champion at 39. And he gave us a great fight [against Naoya Inoue].
“I feel I can also keep going. I feel good, I feel strong. I would like to get all four belts in the division like Canelo [Alvarez]. That’s what I want to accomplish.”
Of course, he has to get past Rodriguez first. The brother of 115-pound contender Joshua Franco is on a roll, having stopped his last six opponents. However, he is taking a big step up in class against the experienced Cuadras. And he’s moving up in weight.
Easy win for Cuadras? He can’t afford to look at it that way with so much at stake.
“I know he’s less experienced than I am,” Cuadras said. “That could make him dangerous. He’s young (22). He has all the momentum. He won’t give up easily. … I know I have a tough test ahead of me.
“I won’t go in overconfident. I’ve worked too hard to achieve this win.”
Carlos Cuadras is still dreaming of dominating the deep 115-pound division.
Carlos Cuadras was disappointed when he learned that Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled out of his fight this Saturday in Phoenix. And he’s determined to avenge two losses to rival Juan Francisco Estrada, including an 11th-round knockout in his most-recent bout.
However, his focus at the moment is squarely on unbeaten Jesse Rodriguez, who replaced Sor Rungvisai in the upcoming bout for a vacant secondary WBC title at Footprint Center (DAZN).
“I have no plans right now,” Cuadras told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “First, I have to walk away with my hand [raised] in victory. Then I’ll talk to my promoter, Mr. Honda. He knows the best decision for my career.
“I’m going to wait and see what he says. I’m ready for anything.”
Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) was ready for Estrada in their rematch, in October 2020. The Mexicans gave fans a memorable war before the WBC champ put Cuadras down twice in Round 11 and stopped him in Mexico City.
That was Cuadras’ first title fight since 2016, when Roman Gonzalez took the WBC belt from him. “Chocolatito” would lose it to Sor Rungvisai, who would then hand it over to Estrada.
Estrada is currently the WBC’s “franchise” champion, meaning he’s the sanctioning body’s top titleholder.
“I learned not to fall into his style,” said Cuadras, referring to what he took away from the Estrada fight. “My style is faster, I move my legs more. It was an error standing and exchanging with him when I know how to fight a different way.
“… If I fight my fight, I win a wide decision.”
Cuadras could get a third shot at Estrada, although things got complicated because of the coronavirus.
He was part of an informal tournament that was designed to produce the top champion at 115 pounds, him vs. Sor Rungvisai on Saturday and Estrada vs. Gonzalez on March 5. The winners would then have fought one another for junior bantamweight supremacy.
However, first Estrada and then Sor Rungvisai contracted COVID-19 and everything changed. Cuadras has Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs) on Saturday and Gonzalez will now fight respected flyweight champ Julio Cesar Martinez next month.
There are still compelling fights on the horizon, however. Cuadras would love a shot at the Gonzalez-Martinez winner or go directly into a third fight with Estrada. Both of those fights would give him a chance to win another full championship.
Cuadras probably is the least accomplished of the big four. He’s 1-3 in fights against them, the victory coming against Sor Rungvisai. Estrada is 4-2, Sor Rungvisai 3-2 and Gonzalez 2-3.
Cuadras is proud to be grouped with his rivals, who have produced a series of classic brawls. They’re collectively a sort of mini version of the great Four Kings, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Ray Leonard.
And there are more fights to come among them, even as they continue to age. Cuadras is 33.
“It’s really an honor to be compared to those legends,” he said. “I want to move forward and continue to be compared to them. … I have two or three years or more. When I feel I’m in decline, I’ll say, ‘OK, this is the end.’ Look at Nonito Donaire, though. He’s a world champion at 39. And he gave us a great fight [against Naoya Inoue].
“I feel I can also keep going. I feel good, I feel strong. I would like to get all four belts in the division like Canelo [Alvarez]. That’s what I want to accomplish.”
Of course, he has to get past Rodriguez first. The brother of 115-pound contender Joshua Franco is on a roll, having stopped his last six opponents. However, he is taking a big step up in class against the experienced Cuadras. And he’s moving up in weight.
Easy win for Cuadras? He can’t afford to look at it that way with so much at stake.
“I know he’s less experienced than I am,” Cuadras said. “That could make him dangerous. He’s young (22). He has all the momentum. He won’t give up easily. … I know I have a tough test ahead of me.
“I won’t go in overconfident. I’ve worked too hard to achieve this win.”
Also on the card: Jamie Mitchell vs. Carly Skelly, bantamweights (for Mitchell’s WBA title); Raymond Ford vs. Edward Vazquez, featherweights
Prediction: Cuadras UD
Background: Cuadras, the former 115-pound titleholder, was supposed to have faced Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in a much anticipated rematch on Saturday and titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada was slated to face rival Roman Gonzalez on March 5 in a mini-tournament. However, the party has been spoiled. Both Sor Rungvisai and Estrada pulled out of their fights because of illness. Rodriguez, a flyweight who had been scheduled to fight on Saturday’s card, agreed to step in this past weekend. And Gonzalez will face 112-pound champ Julio Cesar Martinez. Cuadras, 33, hasn’t held a major belt since 2016, when Gonzalez took it from him by decision. The Mexican is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss in a title challenge against Estrada in October 2020, his most-recent fight. Rodriguez, who had been scheduled to face Fernando Diaz, will be taking a significant step up in opposition. The southpaw from San Antonio was a good junior amateur who can box and punch. And he’s in a groove, having stopped his last six opponents. We’ll find out whether it’s too early for him to face a foe of Cuadras’ caliber and experience. Cuadras had been scheduled to fight Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19.
