Tag: Jesse Rodriguez

Weekend Review: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, only 23, on path to greatness

Weekend Review: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, only 23, appears to be on a path to greatness after his knockout of Sunny Edwads on Saturday.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

Consider what Rodriguez has accomplished the past 22 months. He moved up from 112 pounds to 115 and took down mainstays Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, easily outpointed Israel Gonzalez, fought through a broken jaw to outpoint Cristian Gonzalez back at 112 and obliterated a supposed boxing wizard – Sunny Edwards – to unify two titles in his final fight at the weight Saturday. And he’s only 23. This is crazy stuff. Rodriguez’s performance against Edwards was sensational. He patiently, methodically broke down the second best flyweight, beat him up, made his face look like a war zone, put him down and finally forced Edwards’ trainer to save him from further punishment after nine rounds. A compelling matchup on paper was a rout in the ring. Of course, Rodriguez’s biggest challenges could lie ahead. He called out future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada, a 115-pound titleholder. And the great Chocolatito Gonzalez lurks. If Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) gets and wins those fights? We could be talking about a truly great fighter.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Sunny Edwards

Sunny Edwards took a terrible beating in the end. Christian Petersen / Getty Images

Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) had a chance to become a superstar in his country. Instead, he’ll have to begin a rebuilding process. The Londoner’s undeniable technical ability proved too much for his first 20 opponents, who had trouble winning a round against him. His problem was that those 20 couldn’t compare to Rodriguez, whose combination of skill and power presented a challenge he couldn’t overcome. Edwards did well for a few rounds but was worn down by Rodriguez’s relentless attack and heavy blows, which set up the ninth-round knockdown and the end of what became a brutal beat down. Edwards is known as a defensive wizard yet Rodriguez landed 62.1% of his power punches. It was that kind of night for Edwards. Of course, the 27-year-old remains an elite boxer. He’ll go back to beating good opponents not named “Bam” and probably win another world title or two. However, the opportunity to become the face of boxing south of the heavyweight division in the United Kingdom probably came and went on Saturday.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
David Morrell

The 168-pound contender’s second-round knockout of Sena Agbeko in Minneapolis proved next to nothing because of Agbeko’s limitations but it still was a special night for the Cuban. He can always say he delivered a stoppage on the final fight on Showtime. His parents were able to travel from Cuba to see him fight in person for the first time, which obviously meant a great deal to him. And it gave him the platform to call out the man he has been chasing – David Benavidez – one more time, which is part of the process of making fights happen. I don’t know when – or even if – Morrell will lure Benavidez into the ring but I do believe the former amateur star would be handful for his young rival and undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez because of his all-around ability. Find me an obvious weakness. Agbeko isn’t an elite fighter but he’s a solid one. And Morrell toyed with him before deciding to lower the boom less than five minutes into the fight. This guy is a genuine beast. Maybe he’ll get his chance to prove that beyond doubt in the coming year.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III
Jake Paul

Say what you want about Paul – and you will – you have to acknowledge that he has a flair for the dramatic. The right uppercut that ended his fight against Andre August in the first round Friday night was another viral moment for him. His wave goodbye as August lay on his back was good theater. And so was the moment he looked directly into the TV camera and made a shushing gesture, his way of telling his critics to shut up. How could you not love a knockout artist with a big personality? Does that mean he’ll realize his stated goal of becoming a world champion? Nah. He can now say he took down an experienced boxer but the obscure August seemed to be overwhelmed by the moment, which made him a sitting duck. Paul seems to have legitimate power but his skill set is still raw. He lost a decision to Tommy Fury. It’s difficult to imagine him developing to a point where he could beat legitimate champions. To be fair, though, Paul’s story already is improbable. Who really knows what this guy will accomplish when all is said and done?

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IHv90bT4XCE

Former 122-pound unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev bounced back from his split decision loss to Marlon Tapales in impressive fashion, breaking down and knocking out previously unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Akhmadaliev (12-1 (9 KOs) put Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs) down three times, twice in Round 6 and once more in Round 8 before the referee finally stopped the slaughter. No one in the division is going to beat superstar Naoya Inoue, who is scheduled to face Tapales for the undisputed championship on Dec. 26. However, Akhmadaliev demonstrated that he might be a more legitimate threat than anyone else. …

Talented 112-pound contender Galal Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) earned a one-sided decision over Rocco Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs), also on the Rodriguez-Edwards card. The 2020 Olympic champion’s combination of boxing ability and high work rate is formidable. However, the 31-year-old from England would have to be more responsible defensively to beat the top fighters in and near his weight class. He’s easy to hit. I’m guessing that’s something he and his team will work on going forward. … One of the more unlikely knockouts of the year occurred directly before the Yafai-Santomauro fight. Talented 122-pound contender Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) was outclassing Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) – who went down twice – when the Briton got caught with a right hook that put him down and out in the fifth round. That’s how a break-out performance instantaneously turns into a disaster. …

Jose Valenzuela couldn’t have been more impressive in his rematch with Chris Colbert, who defeated him by a disputed decision in March. He put Colbert (17-2, 6 KOs) down in the first round – as he did in the first fight – but this time he didn’t allow his slick opponent to get into a rhythm afterward on the Morrell-Agbeko card. Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) kept the pressure on Colbert, consistently landed hard shots and finally landed the game-ender, a huge right hand in the sixth round. I doubt Valenzuela could hang with the man he called out after his victory, Gervonta Davis, but he’s an improving boxer with legitimate power. Who knows? … The fight between Robert Guerrero (38-6-1, 20 KOs) and Andre Berto (32-6, 24 KOs) on the Morrell-Agbeko card had the feel of a baseball old-timers ago, which makes sense given the fact both men are 40 and hadn’t been active. I support anyone’s decision to fight if he or she passes rigorous physicals beforehand, including these two. At the same time a good-spirited, if dull scrap would be a good way for both men to say goodbye. Oh yeah, Guerrero won a decision. …

Franchon Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2 KOs) deserves credit. She lost her undisputed 168-pound championship to Savannah Marshall by a majority decision in July but bounced back to easily outpoint previously unbeaten Shadasia Green (13-1, 11 KOs) on the Paul-August card, winning back a vacant belt in the process. That was made possible when the WBC designated the injured Marshall its “champion in recess.” I have a question, though: How does a fighter who loses what should’ve been a unanimous decision – against Marshall – get a title shot in her next fight? Is the talent pool that shallow? … First HBO, now Showtime. The latter premium network showcased many of the most important fights for almost four decades, making it difficult to believe it’s over. Sad day. HBO and Showtime were the windows to the boxing world for three generations of Americans, particularly before the emergence of internet streaming. Now they’re part of history. Of course, the fans think about the countless thrills and brilliant commentators when they think about Showtime. I also think about the talented people behind the scenes whose paths I’ve had the privilege to cross. Farewell. …

[lawrence-related id=40186,40149,40144,40137,40117,40111,40108,40098]

Watch it: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s brutal knockdown of Sunny Edwards

Watch it: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s brutal knockdown of Sunny Edwards on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez put Sunny Edwards down with a massive right hand in the final seconds of Round 9 on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, which turned out to be the deciding blow in a one-sided fight.

Edwards’ cornermen prevented their beaten man from coming out for Round 10.

Here’s a look at the big punch.

[lawrence-related id=40149,40137,40117]

Watch it: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s brutal knockdown of Sunny Edwards

Watch it: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s brutal knockdown of Sunny Edwards on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez put Sunny Edwards down with a massive right hand in the final seconds of Round 9 on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, which turned out to be the deciding blow in a one-sided fight.

Edwards’ cornermen prevented their beaten man from coming out for Round 10.

Here’s a look at the big punch.

[lawrence-related id=40149,40137,40117]

Photos: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s masterclass against Sunny Edwards

Photos: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s masterclass against Sunny Edwards on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez capped a dominating performance by knocking out Sunny Edwards after nine rounds to unify two 112-pound titles Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Here are images from the fight. All photos by Christian Petersen of Getty Images.

[lawrence-related id=40137,40117]

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez knocks out Sunny Edwards to cap virtuoso performance

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez knocked out Sunny Edwards after nine rounds to cap a virtuoso performance Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez turned what many expected to be a competitive fight into a beat down.

Rodriguez walked down, pummeled, knocked down and finally knocked out Sunny Edwards after nine dominating rounds to unify two 112-pound titles and bolster his pound-for-pound credentials Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.

It was Rodriguez’s last fight as a flyweight and he couldn’t have gone out on a more positive note. How does “unified” sound to the 23-year-old from San Antonio?

“Forgive my language but it sounds f—ing bad a–,” he said afterward. “I’m happy. I worked my ass for this. I knew it was going to come. It was just a matter of time.”

The fight was billed as a matchup of two of the best little boxers in the world, both of whom entered the night undefeated.

Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is a more complete fighter because of his punching power but Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) has built a reputation as one of the best technicians in the business.

The early rounds were competitive, as the fighters traded quick, accurate shots in what was akin to a chess match. However, Edwards had a problem: Rodriguez could take his shots but he couldn’t take Rodriguez’s, which led to his demise.

Rodriguez stalked Edwards relentlessly and landed more and more heavy blows as the fight progressed, which slowed the Briton down and gradually broke him down. His left eye was swollen and cuts marked his face by the end.

The deciding blow came in the final seconds of Round 9, a booming right hand that landed on Edwards’ head and put him flat on his face. He made his way to the corner but his handlers had seen enough. That wouldn’t allow him to go out for Round 10.

Rodriguez was magnanimous in victory.

“Sunny is a hell of a fighter,” he said. “He was a champion for a reason, 20-0 for a reason. Maybe he wasn’t used to getting hit that much. I brought something at him that he couldn’t handle.”

The CompuBox statistics help tell the story of Rodriguez’s dominance. Edwards is known as a defensive wizard yet Rodriguez landed an astounding 62.1% of his power punches, 180 of 290 compared to 75 of 230 for Edwards (32.6%).

Edwards pointed out afterward that his swollen left eye – from the second round on – made it difficult for him to see Rodriguez’s right hand coming, which made his mission virtually impossible.

Other than that there wasn’t much he could say.

“Jesse is a hell of fighter,” he said. “I knew that before taking the fight. I knew that during the fight. And I sure as hell know it after the fight. I think it was a great fight, but, yeah, the better man won today.”

So it’s back to 115 pounds for Rodriguez, who made a splash last year by outpointing former beltholder Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant title and then stopping another respected former champ, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

He’s thinking even bigger now: He wants 115-pound titleholder and future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada next.

That would be Rodriguez’s biggest challenge yet, at least on paper. However, given his success over such a short period of time, he appears to be taking his place among the Estradas and Chocolatito Gonzalezes of the world.

There’s only one way to find out how he would do at that level.

“I’ve been wanting that fight,” said Rodriguez, referring to Estrada. “Why not now.”

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez knocks out Sunny Edwards to cap virtuoso performance

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez knocked out Sunny Edwards after nine rounds to cap a virtuoso performance Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez turned what many expected to be a competitive fight into a beat down.

Rodriguez walked down, pummeled, knocked down and finally knocked out Sunny Edwards after nine dominating rounds to unify two 112-pound titles and bolster his pound-for-pound credentials Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.

It was Rodriguez’s last fight as a flyweight and he couldn’t have gone out on a more positive note. How does “unified” sound to the 23-year-old from San Antonio?

“Forgive my language but it sounds f—ing bad a–,” he said afterward. “I’m happy. I worked my ass for this. I knew it was going to come. It was just a matter of time.”

The fight was billed as a matchup of two of the best little boxers in the world, both of whom entered the night undefeated.

Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is a more complete fighter because of his punching power but Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) has built a reputation as one of the best technicians in the business.

The early rounds were competitive, as the fighters traded quick, accurate shots in what was akin to a chess match. However, Edwards had a problem: Rodriguez could take his shots but he couldn’t take Rodriguez’s, which led to his demise.

Rodriguez stalked Edwards relentlessly and landed more and more heavy blows as the fight progressed, which slowed the Briton down and gradually broke him down. His left eye was swollen and cuts marked his face by the end.

The deciding blow came in the final seconds of Round 9, a booming right hand that landed on Edwards’ head and put him flat on his face. He made his way to the corner but his handlers had seen enough. That wouldn’t allow him to go out for Round 10.

Rodriguez was magnanimous in victory.

“Sunny is a hell of a fighter,” he said. “He was a champion for a reason, 20-0 for a reason. Maybe he wasn’t used to getting hit that much. I brought something at him that he couldn’t handle.”

The CompuBox statistics help tell the story of Rodriguez’s dominance. Edwards is known as a defensive wizard yet Rodriguez landed an astounding 62.1% of his power punches, 180 of 290 compared to 75 of 230 for Edwards (32.6%).

Edwards pointed out afterward that his swollen left eye – from the second round on – made it difficult for him to see Rodriguez’s right hand coming, which made his mission virtually impossible.

Other than that there wasn’t much he could say.

“Jesse is a hell of fighter,” he said. “I knew that before taking the fight. I knew that during the fight. And I sure as hell know it after the fight. I think it was a great fight, but, yeah, the better man won today.”

So it’s back to 115 pounds for Rodriguez, who made a splash last year by outpointing former beltholder Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant title and then stopping another respected former champ, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

He’s thinking even bigger now: He wants 115-pound titleholder and future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada next.

That would be Rodriguez’s biggest challenge yet, at least on paper. However, given his success over such a short period of time, he appears to be taking his place among the Estradas and Chocolatito Gonzalezes of the world.

There’s only one way to find out how he would do at that level.

“I’ve been wanting that fight,” said Rodriguez, referring to Estrada. “Why not now.”

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: LIVE round-by-round updates, results and full coverage.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez capped a dominating performance by knocking out Sunny Edwards after nine rounds to unify two 112-pound titles.

The fight was competitive in the early rounds, as the quick-handed little men traded accurate shots. However, Rodriguez, the much harder puncher, landed more and more punishing blows as the fight progressed. That made a mess of Edwards’ face and wore him down.

Rodriguez landed the deciding blow in the final seconds of Round 9, a huge right hand that put Edwards on his face. The Briton made his way to his corner, where his handlers decided enough was enough and stopped the action.

You can read a full report here.

***
Edwards’ cornermen stop the fight! The last-second knockdown evidently was the last straw for them.
Round 9

Edwards went down from a huge right hand late in the round, in which he had been competitive in spite of his deteriorating condition.

Round 8

Big round for “Bam.” He just beat up Edwards, who is landing his own punches but doesn’t have the power to slow Rodriguez down. How much more of this can Edwards take? He’s cut above the right eye.

Round 7

The biggest difference now is that they’re both landing good shots but Edwards is the only one getting hurt. He has a ton of heart but he might be wearing down under Rodriguez’s attack. Rodriguez’s jab is doing a number on Edwards’ face.

Round 6

Crazy round. They fought toe to toe much of the round, which no one would’ve predicted. And it appeared that Rodriguez might’ve hurt Edwards late in the round, although Edwards bounced back in the final seconds.

Round 5

Rodriguez was able to close the distance better that round but really didn’t get much done inside, although he landed a few good shots. Edwards is still beating Rodriguez to the punch on most occasions. These are hard rounds to score.

Round 4

Edwards landed a series of impressive overhand lefts, which might’ve won him that round. He’s punching often and accurately. Rodriguez has had a more difficult time finding Edwards the past few rounds.

Round 3

Close, back-and-forth round. Edwards is planting his feet, which is a surprise. And he’s having success, which also might be a surprise. He landed a lot of clean shots that round. Rodriguez also got in some good blows.

Round 2

Edwards already has a swollen left eye, which could become a big problem. That was Rodriguez’s round, although both got in there shots. Rodriguez’s shots are heavier and he landed more power punches.

Round 1

Good pace for a first round, although the fighters threw mostly jabs. Edwards look super quick. He caught Rodriguez coming in a few times. Looks like Rodriguez is going to have to figure this guy out.

***
Former 122-pound unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev knocked out Kevin Gonzalez in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Akhmadaliev (12-1 (9 KOs) put Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs) down three times, twice in Round 6 and once more in Round 8 before the referee finally stopped what amounted to a beat down.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:49.

The winner asserted himself in the fourth round of a fight that had been competitive, landing hard, punishing blows that allowed him to take control.

The beginning of the end was a left hook, followed by a a left uppercut, that forced Gonzalez onto one knee and hurt him badly. He fought bravely thereafter but was a sitting duck for a superior fighter.

Akmadaliev, a former amateur star from Uzbekistan, lost his titles to Marlon Tapales this past April.

***

Flyweight contender Galal Yafai defeated a stubborn, but overmatched Rocco Santomauro by a one-sided decision in a 10-round bout.

Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) used a combination of skill and high work rate to control the fight, although he never seriously hurt his rugged opponent from Southern California.

Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs) gave it everything he had and had good moments, slipping in eye-catching punches here and there against the hittable Englishman.

However, Santomauro couldn’t get enough done to win more than a few rounds, which cost him the fight.

The official scores were 99-91, 98-93 and 97-93.

Yafai won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics.

***

Ja’Rico O’Quinn got up from two knockdowns to stop 122-pound contender Peter McGrail with a single right hook in the fifth round of a fight he was losing.
McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) outclassed O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) for four-plus rounds, putting him down in the second and fourth rounds and outboxing him from the beginning until the final punch.

O’Quinn had his back to the ropes when McGrail got caught with a perfect shot and fell to the canvas, where he was counted out. The official time of the stoppage was 2:19.

McGrail outlanded O’Quinn overall 102-35, according to CompuBox. And 96 of McGrail’s punches were power shots. O’Quinn landed 24 power punches.

McGrail, a 2020 Olympian, is from Liverpool, England. O’Quinn is from Detroit.

***

The little men will take center stage when Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards face off in a 112-pound title-unification bout Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN).

Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) and Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) each hold one belt and are considered the best flyweights in the world.

Also featured on the card, former 122-pound titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-1, 8 KOs) will face unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez (26-0-1, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 12-rounder.

The featured portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

Boxing Junkie will post round-by-round analysis and the result, as well as a brief summary, immediately after the fight ends. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a detailed fight story, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

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Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: LIVE round-by-round updates, results and full coverage.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez capped a dominating performance by knocking out Sunny Edwards after nine rounds to unify two 112-pound titles.

The fight was competitive in the early rounds, as the quick-handed little men traded accurate shots. However, Rodriguez, the much harder puncher, landed more and more punishing blows as the fight progressed. That made a mess of Edwards’ face and wore him down.

Rodriguez landed the deciding blow in the final seconds of Round 9, a huge right hand that put Edwards on his face. The Briton made his way to his corner, where his handlers decided enough was enough and stopped the action.

You can read a full report here.

***
Edwards’ cornermen stop the fight! The last-second knockdown evidently was the last straw for them.
Round 9

Edwards went down from a huge right hand late in the round, in which he had been competitive in spite of his deteriorating condition.

Round 8

Big round for “Bam.” He just beat up Edwards, who is landing his own punches but doesn’t have the power to slow Rodriguez down. How much more of this can Edwards take? He’s cut above the right eye.

Round 7

The biggest difference now is that they’re both landing good shots but Edwards is the only one getting hurt. He has a ton of heart but he might be wearing down under Rodriguez’s attack. Rodriguez’s jab is doing a number on Edwards’ face.

Round 6

Crazy round. They fought toe to toe much of the round, which no one would’ve predicted. And it appeared that Rodriguez might’ve hurt Edwards late in the round, although Edwards bounced back in the final seconds.

Round 5

Rodriguez was able to close the distance better that round but really didn’t get much done inside, although he landed a few good shots. Edwards is still beating Rodriguez to the punch on most occasions. These are hard rounds to score.

Round 4

Edwards landed a series of impressive overhand lefts, which might’ve won him that round. He’s punching often and accurately. Rodriguez has had a more difficult time finding Edwards the past few rounds.

Round 3

Close, back-and-forth round. Edwards is planting his feet, which is a surprise. And he’s having success, which also might be a surprise. He landed a lot of clean shots that round. Rodriguez also got in some good blows.

Round 2

Edwards already has a swollen left eye, which could become a big problem. That was Rodriguez’s round, although both got in there shots. Rodriguez’s shots are heavier and he landed more power punches.

Round 1

Good pace for a first round, although the fighters threw mostly jabs. Edwards look super quick. He caught Rodriguez coming in a few times. Looks like Rodriguez is going to have to figure this guy out.

***
Former 122-pound unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev knocked out Kevin Gonzalez in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Akhmadaliev (12-1 (9 KOs) put Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs) down three times, twice in Round 6 and once more in Round 8 before the referee finally stopped what amounted to a beat down.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:49.

The winner asserted himself in the fourth round of a fight that had been competitive, landing hard, punishing blows that allowed him to take control.

The beginning of the end was a left hook, followed by a a left uppercut, that forced Gonzalez onto one knee and hurt him badly. He fought bravely thereafter but was a sitting duck for a superior fighter.

Akmadaliev, a former amateur star from Uzbekistan, lost his titles to Marlon Tapales this past April.

***

Flyweight contender Galal Yafai defeated a stubborn, but overmatched Rocco Santomauro by a one-sided decision in a 10-round bout.

Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) used a combination of skill and high work rate to control the fight, although he never seriously hurt his rugged opponent from Southern California.

Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs) gave it everything he had and had good moments, slipping in eye-catching punches here and there against the hittable Englishman.

However, Santomauro couldn’t get enough done to win more than a few rounds, which cost him the fight.

The official scores were 99-91, 98-93 and 97-93.

Yafai won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics.

***

Ja’Rico O’Quinn got up from two knockdowns to stop 122-pound contender Peter McGrail with a single right hook in the fifth round of a fight he was losing.
McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) outclassed O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) for four-plus rounds, putting him down in the second and fourth rounds and outboxing him from the beginning until the final punch.

O’Quinn had his back to the ropes when McGrail got caught with a perfect shot and fell to the canvas, where he was counted out. The official time of the stoppage was 2:19.

McGrail outlanded O’Quinn overall 102-35, according to CompuBox. And 96 of McGrail’s punches were power shots. O’Quinn landed 24 power punches.

McGrail, a 2020 Olympian, is from Liverpool, England. O’Quinn is from Detroit.

***

The little men will take center stage when Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards face off in a 112-pound title-unification bout Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN).

Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) and Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) each hold one belt and are considered the best flyweights in the world.

Also featured on the card, former 122-pound titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-1, 8 KOs) will face unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez (26-0-1, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 12-rounder.

The featured portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

Boxing Junkie will post round-by-round analysis and the result, as well as a brief summary, immediately after the fight ends. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a detailed fight story, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=40091,40061,36640,34158]

Sunny Edwards unloads on Jesse Rodriguez at news conference, ‘Bam’ fires back

Sunny Edwards unloaded on Jesse Rodriguez on a variety of topics and “Bam” fired back at a news conference Thursday.

It takes a lot to get under the skin of the reserved Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez but Sunny Edwards managed to do it at the final news conference before their title-unification fight Friday in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN).

Edwards, 27, called his fellow 112-pound champion a little kid because of his age, 23. He called him a cheater because of Rodriguez’s affiliation with SNAC Nutrition, which was founded by steroid convict Victor Conte. He said Rodriguez won’t be able to touch him the ring. And, in his lowest blow, he suggested that Rodriguez and his team are scared.

The fight between two of the best little men in the sport sells itself, but Edwards certainly added some intrigue.

The news conference started innocuously enough. Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) spoke first, serving up the typical lines you hear at such as event.

“This is the biggest fight of my life, the biggest fight of my career, no doubt,” the Texan said. “But I’ve approached it the same way I always do, cool, calm, collected. No need for talking. My work has been done in the gym. Everyone will see that.”

Rodriguez was eventually asked what he thought of Edwards as a person. He said he noticed that the Briton talks a lot on social media but not when the fighters have been face to face.

That was like a starting gun for Edwards. He was off.

Some snippets:

  • “Your whole team is on eggshells. No one wants to look at me.”
  • “I just didn’t want to bully a 23-year-old kid that still writes love messages on Instagram comments because you wouldn’t have turned up otherwise.”
  • “SNAC. We all know what that means.”
  • “Gameplan. That’s what everyone says. My coach has a game plan, game plan, game plan. That game plan goes out the window when you can’t lay a glove on me. Fact.”
  • You are a little s—bag with a fragile ego. So shut the f— up.”

The last comment was about all Rodriguez was willing to take without firing back in kind. His response was succinct: “F— you.”

The fighters have done most of their talking in the ring over the past few years, during which both have established themselves as special talents.

Rodriguez had a sensational year last year, when he won a 115-pound title by outpointing Carlos Cuadros in February and then stopping Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in June.

He defended once more and then moved down to 112, at which he outpointed Cristian Gonzalez to win a vacant title even though he suffered a broken jaw.

Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) doesn’t have much power but he’s a superb technician, which has allowed him to outclass all of his opponents.

The Londoner won his title by outpointing Moruti Mthalane in 2021 and has successfully defended four times.

The verbal battle will evolve into a physical one around 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT or a little after at Desert Diamond Arena.

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Sunny Edwards unloads on Jesse Rodriguez at news conference, ‘Bam’ fires back

Sunny Edwards unloaded on Jesse Rodriguez on a variety of topics and “Bam” fired back at a news conference Thursday.

It takes a lot to get under the skin of the reserved Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez but Sunny Edwards managed to do it at the final news conference before their title-unification fight Friday in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN).

Edwards, 27, called his fellow 112-pound champion a little kid because of his age, 23. He called him a cheater because of Rodriguez’s affiliation with SNAC Nutrition, which was founded by steroid convict Victor Conte. He said Rodriguez won’t be able to touch him the ring. And, in his lowest blow, he suggested that Rodriguez and his team are scared.

The fight between two of the best little men in the sport sells itself, but Edwards certainly added some intrigue.

The news conference started innocuously enough. Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) spoke first, serving up the typical lines you hear at such as event.

“This is the biggest fight of my life, the biggest fight of my career, no doubt,” the Texan said. “But I’ve approached it the same way I always do, cool, calm, collected. No need for talking. My work has been done in the gym. Everyone will see that.”

Rodriguez was eventually asked what he thought of Edwards as a person. He said he noticed that the Briton talks a lot on social media but not when the fighters have been face to face.

That was like a starting gun for Edwards. He was off.

Some snippets:

  • “Your whole team is on eggshells. No one wants to look at me.”
  • “I just didn’t want to bully a 23-year-old kid that still writes love messages on Instagram comments because you wouldn’t have turned up otherwise.”
  • “SNAC. We all know what that means.”
  • “Gameplan. That’s what everyone says. My coach has a game plan, game plan, game plan. That game plan goes out the window when you can’t lay a glove on me. Fact.”
  • You are a little s—bag with a fragile ego. So shut the f— up.”

The last comment was about all Rodriguez was willing to take without firing back in kind. His response was succinct: “F— you.”

The fighters have done most of their talking in the ring over the past few years, during which both have established themselves as special talents.

Rodriguez had a sensational year last year, when he won a 115-pound title by outpointing Carlos Cuadros in February and then stopping Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in June.

He defended once more and then moved down to 112, at which he outpointed Cristian Gonzalez to win a vacant title even though he suffered a broken jaw.

Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) doesn’t have much power but he’s a superb technician, which has allowed him to outclass all of his opponents.

The Londoner won his title by outpointing Moruti Mthalane in 2021 and has successfully defended four times.

The verbal battle will evolve into a physical one around 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT or a little after at Desert Diamond Arena.

[lawrence-related id=40061,36640]