Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is poised to win a world title in second division against Cristian Gonzalez on Saturday in San Antonio.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is taking an interesting path.
The talented 23-year-old from San Antonio had a massive 2022, during which he knocked off Carlos Cuadras to win the WBC junior bantamweight title and successfully defended against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Israel Gonzalez to become a major force at 115 pounds.
So what does he do in his first fight this year? Move down in weight to fight Cristian Gonzalez of Mexico for the vacant WBO flyweight world title Saturday in his hometown (DAZN).
That could be bad news for Gonzalez and the other elite 112-pounders, assuming Rodriguez doesn’t have trouble making that weight and stays there.
He stopped his previous six opponents before moving up from 112 and 115 for the Cuadras fight, which seems to indicate that he’s particularly strong at the lower weight. At 115, he was able to stop Sor Rungvisai but Cuadras and Gonzalez took him the distance.
On top of that, Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs) should be fresh on Saturday.
He couldn’t have been happier with his break-through year last year but he admitted to BoxingScene.com that it was a grueling stretch. He will have had six-plus months to recover when he steps into the ring to face Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs).
“I’ve definitely had enough rest,” he said.
And, finally, Rodriguez will have the advantage of fighting Gonzalez in front of a friendly crowd at the Boeing Center at Tech Port arena.
He last fought in San Antonio in June of last year, when he stunned many observers by knocking out the rugged Sor Rungvisai in the eighth round. That victory was arguably the most impressive performance of his career.
“Fights in San Antonio are just different for me,” he said. “The last one against Rungvisai in San Antonio was electric and exciting, so to get another opportunity to fight for another world title there in front of my fans is amazing.
“San Antonio means everything to me, it’s where I was born and raised, my family and my people are there and whenever I step in the ring, they are with me. I represent San Antonio when I step in the ring, and I am doing this for my city.”
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is poised to win a world title in second division against Cristian Gonzalez on Saturday in San Antonio.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is taking an interesting path.
The talented 23-year-old from San Antonio had a massive 2022, during which he knocked off Carlos Cuadras to win the WBC junior bantamweight title and successfully defended against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Israel Gonzalez to become a major force at 115 pounds.
So what does he do in his first fight this year? Move down in weight to fight Cristian Gonzalez of Mexico for the vacant WBO flyweight world title Saturday in his hometown (DAZN).
That could be bad news for Gonzalez and the other elite 112-pounders, assuming Rodriguez doesn’t have trouble making that weight and stays there.
He stopped his previous six opponents before moving up from 112 and 115 for the Cuadras fight, which seems to indicate that he’s particularly strong at the lower weight. At 115, he was able to stop Sor Rungvisai but Cuadras and Gonzalez took him the distance.
On top of that, Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs) should be fresh on Saturday.
He couldn’t have been happier with his break-through year last year but he admitted to BoxingScene.com that it was a grueling stretch. He will have had six-plus months to recover when he steps into the ring to face Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs).
“I’ve definitely had enough rest,” he said.
And, finally, Rodriguez will have the advantage of fighting Gonzalez in front of a friendly crowd at the Boeing Center at Tech Port arena.
He last fought in San Antonio in June of last year, when he stunned many observers by knocking out the rugged Sor Rungvisai in the eighth round. That victory was arguably the most impressive performance of his career.
“Fights in San Antonio are just different for me,” he said. “The last one against Rungvisai in San Antonio was electric and exciting, so to get another opportunity to fight for another world title there in front of my fans is amazing.
“San Antonio means everything to me, it’s where I was born and raised, my family and my people are there and whenever I step in the ring, they are with me. I represent San Antonio when I step in the ring, and I am doing this for my city.”
Juan Francisco Estrada: ‘Chocolatito’ knows that “I’m not just any other fighter.”
Juan Francisco Estrada knows a good rivalry when he’s in one.
The Mexican star hasn’t even stepped through the ropes for his third fight against Roman Gonzalez on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN) and he’s already talking about the possibility of a fourth meeting between the little warriors.
The fans wouldn’t object. Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) and “Chocolatito” (51-3, 41 KOs) are among the most accomplished – and entertaining — lighter-weight fighters of their generation.
“He beat me in 2012 and I beat him in the second fight, so you could say this is the decider,” said Estrada, who will be fighting Gonzalez for the vacant WBC 115-poiund title. “There might be a fourth like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez, who knows? We’ll have our trilogy, and we don’t know whether it will end here or not.
“We’re going to find out who is the best, who will be leading in fights won, and if in the future, God willing, there is a fourth, bring it on.”
The rivalry began in 2012 at the old Sports Arena in Los Angeles, when Gonzalez was a 108-pound titleholder and already a pound-for-pounder, and Estrada a 22-year-old relative unknown.
Estrada lost the fight by a unanimous decision but pushed the two-division champion harder than anyone expected even though he moved down from 112 pounds to 108 for the fight, thereby establishing himself as a potential star.
He defeated Brian Viloria by a split decision in his next fight the following year to win two major 112-pound titles, and he never looked back.
“The first fight was my first fight in the U.S., my first fight at light flyweight,” Estrada said. “I was a flyweight and had to drop down for this world title shot. It was a great fight. To be honest I felt good, but the weight affected me. I didn’t feel strong.
“But when the fight started, from rounds 1 to 12, we gave it everything. At that time, he was the champion, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, and he got the decision. I was a nobody. We put on a great fight. I felt that I won that fight by a few points, but he got it.
“Given the fight we put on, we got more opportunities. We fought Brian Viloria at flyweight and you could say it was the fight that made me famous in boxing, it put my name out there.”
Estrada went on to beat a series of top contenders to become a pound-for-pounder himself, including a decision over then 115-pound titleholder Srisaket Sor Rungvisai – the two-time conqueror of Gonzalez – to become a two-division champion.
Three fights later he took on a familiar foe, Gonzalez. The rematch took place in March of last year in Dallas. And this time Estrada ended up on the right side of a decision in a classic war, albeit a split nod that was highly disputed.
Still, he had evened the score with his arch rival to set up the fight on Saturday … and, as he said, another meeting might lie beyond that.
“When we got to face Chocolatito again, it was at [junior bantamweight],” Estrada said. “Once again, we gave it everything. It was an extremely tough fight for both of us. Thankfully I was awarded the victory. It was a great fight, and now we’re going for that trilogy.
“He’ll be a Hall of Famer. He’s a fighter that has won many titles in four divisions. I respect him as a fighter. I’ve also won titles. … I think he’s also realized that I’m not just any other fighter. And when we fight now, we’ll decide who is the best.”
Juan Francisco Estrada: ‘Chocolatito’ knows that “I’m not just any other fighter.”
Juan Francisco Estrada knows a good rivalry when he’s in one.
The Mexican star hasn’t even stepped through the ropes for his third fight against Roman Gonzalez on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona (DAZN) and he’s already talking about the possibility of a fourth meeting between the little warriors.
The fans wouldn’t object. Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) and “Chocolatito” (51-3, 41 KOs) are among the most accomplished – and entertaining — lighter-weight fighters of their generation.
“He beat me in 2012 and I beat him in the second fight, so you could say this is the decider,” said Estrada, who will be fighting Gonzalez for the vacant WBC 115-poiund title. “There might be a fourth like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez, who knows? We’ll have our trilogy, and we don’t know whether it will end here or not.
“We’re going to find out who is the best, who will be leading in fights won, and if in the future, God willing, there is a fourth, bring it on.”
The rivalry began in 2012 at the old Sports Arena in Los Angeles, when Gonzalez was a 108-pound titleholder and already a pound-for-pounder, and Estrada a 22-year-old relative unknown.
Estrada lost the fight by a unanimous decision but pushed the two-division champion harder than anyone expected even though he moved down from 112 pounds to 108 for the fight, thereby establishing himself as a potential star.
He defeated Brian Viloria by a split decision in his next fight the following year to win two major 112-pound titles, and he never looked back.
“The first fight was my first fight in the U.S., my first fight at light flyweight,” Estrada said. “I was a flyweight and had to drop down for this world title shot. It was a great fight. To be honest I felt good, but the weight affected me. I didn’t feel strong.
“But when the fight started, from rounds 1 to 12, we gave it everything. At that time, he was the champion, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, and he got the decision. I was a nobody. We put on a great fight. I felt that I won that fight by a few points, but he got it.
“Given the fight we put on, we got more opportunities. We fought Brian Viloria at flyweight and you could say it was the fight that made me famous in boxing, it put my name out there.”
Estrada went on to beat a series of top contenders to become a pound-for-pounder himself, including a decision over then 115-pound titleholder Srisaket Sor Rungvisai – the two-time conqueror of Gonzalez – to become a two-division champion.
Three fights later he took on a familiar foe, Gonzalez. The rematch took place in March of last year in Dallas. And this time Estrada ended up on the right side of a decision in a classic war, albeit a split nod that was highly disputed.
Still, he had evened the score with his arch rival to set up the fight on Saturday … and, as he said, another meeting might lie beyond that.
“When we got to face Chocolatito again, it was at [junior bantamweight],” Estrada said. “Once again, we gave it everything. It was an extremely tough fight for both of us. Thankfully I was awarded the victory. It was a great fight, and now we’re going for that trilogy.
“He’ll be a Hall of Famer. He’s a fighter that has won many titles in four divisions. I respect him as a fighter. I’ve also won titles. … I think he’s also realized that I’m not just any other fighter. And when we fight now, we’ll decide who is the best.”
Now Rodriguez is where Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai were, at the top of the 115-pound division. And like them, he now has a target on his back.
That new dynamic begins on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin undercard Saturday in Las Vegas, where he’ll defend his belt against Israel Gonzalez.
“Of course, being a world champion is what everyone wants,” Rodriguez told Boxing Junkie. “… They want to take what I have. I can’t let that happen.”
The rapid ascension of Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) was no fluke, although luck played a role in getting the fight with Cuadras.
Sor Rungvisai was scheduled to face Cuadras in a rematch of their 2014 fight but the Thai boxer had to pull out because of illness. Rodriguez agreed to step in on a week’s notice, which seemed suicidal given Cuadras’ track record.
Surprise surprise. Cuadras was competitive until he went down in Round 3, after which Rodriguez – too quick and slick for the Mexican – took over the fight and won by a wide decision to become the WBC’s secondary titleholder. (Juan Francisco Estrada is the “franchise” champion.)
Next up was former beltholder Sor Rungvisai, the bruising two-time conqueror of the great Roman Gonzalez. Too much for a 22-year-old upstart like Rodriguez, right? Wrong.
“Bam” not only beat Sor Rungvisai, he beat him up and ultimately knocked him out in the eighth round in June at Tech Port Center + Arena in San Antonio. No one had stopped Sor Rungvisai since his second pro fight, back in 2009.
“That was very special,” Rodriguez said of the victory. “People were saying on social media that Sor Rungvisai was too strong for me, that I was going to get knocked out. For me to be the one who stopped him shut everybody up, shut up the doubters. So it was special.
“And it was in my hometown. So it couldn’t have been better.”
Rodriguez didn’t celebrate long. He quickly got back into the gym to begin preparation for his next fight, which turned out to be the capable Gonzalez (28-4-1, 11 KOs).
Indeed, it seems there’s no chance that he’ll succumb to complacency. His goal wasn’t simply to become a world champion; he wanted to stay one.
He wouldn’t even talk about what opponents might lie beyond Gonzalez, although Estrada and Gonzalez are the biggest prizes in the division. His focus is set squarely on the task at hand.
“I’ve worked so hard for this fight,” he said. “I’ve worked just as hard for this fight, maybe harder. I feel better for this fight than I did for those two fights (Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai). I think my performance will be better than the last two fights.
“… My ultimately goal is to be a legend. When I retire I want people to look back and remember me, like Tyson and Ali, those legends.”
Now Rodriguez is where Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai were, at the top of the 115-pound division. And like them, he now has a target on his back.
That new dynamic begins on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin undercard Saturday in Las Vegas, where he’ll defend his belt against Israel Gonzalez.
“Of course, being a world champion is what everyone wants,” Rodriguez told Boxing Junkie. “… They want to take what I have. I can’t let that happen.”
The rapid ascension of Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) was no fluke, although luck played a role in getting the fight with Cuadras.
Sor Rungvisai was scheduled to face Cuadras in a rematch of their 2014 fight but the Thai boxer had to pull out because of illness. Rodriguez agreed to step in on a week’s notice, which seemed suicidal given Cuadras’ track record.
Surprise surprise. Cuadras was competitive until he went down in Round 3, after which Rodriguez – too quick and slick for the Mexican – took over the fight and won by a wide decision to become the WBC’s secondary titleholder. (Juan Francisco Estrada is the “franchise” champion.)
Next up was former beltholder Sor Rungvisai, the bruising two-time conqueror of the great Roman Gonzalez. Too much for a 22-year-old upstart like Rodriguez, right? Wrong.
“Bam” not only beat Sor Rungvisai, he beat him up and ultimately knocked him out in the eighth round in June at Tech Port Center + Arena in San Antonio. No one had stopped Sor Rungvisai since his second pro fight, back in 2009.
“That was very special,” Rodriguez said of the victory. “People were saying on social media that Sor Rungvisai was too strong for me, that I was going to get knocked out. For me to be the one who stopped him shut everybody up, shut up the doubters. So it was special.
“And it was in my hometown. So it couldn’t have been better.”
Rodriguez didn’t celebrate long. He quickly got back into the gym to begin preparation for his next fight, which turned out to be the capable Gonzalez (28-4-1, 11 KOs).
Indeed, it seems there’s no chance that he’ll succumb to complacency. His goal wasn’t simply to become a world champion; he wanted to stay one.
He wouldn’t even talk about what opponents might lie beyond Gonzalez, although Estrada and Gonzalez are the biggest prizes in the division. His focus is set squarely on the task at hand.
“I’ve worked so hard for this fight,” he said. “I’ve worked just as hard for this fight, maybe harder. I feel better for this fight than I did for those two fights (Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai). I think my performance will be better than the last two fights.
“… My ultimately goal is to be a legend. When I retire I want people to look back and remember me, like Tyson and Ali, those legends.”
Boxing fans have been blessed by a series of outstanding performances in the first half of 2022, which ends at midnight on Thursday. Boxing Junkie painstakingly went through results day by day since the start of the year to determine the best of the …
Boxing fans have been blessed by a series of outstanding performances in the first half of 2022, which ends at midnight on Thursday.
Boxing Junkie painstakingly went through results day by day since the start of the year to determine the best of the best. And we came up with what we feel are the 10 top performances so far.
Boxing fans have been blessed by a series of outstanding performances in the first half of 2022, which ends at midnight on Thursday. Boxing Junkie painstakingly went through results day by day since the start of the year to determine the best of the …
Boxing fans have been blessed by a series of outstanding performances in the first half of 2022, which ends at midnight on Thursday.
Boxing Junkie painstakingly went through results day by day since the start of the year to determine the best of the best. And we came up with what we feel are the 10 top performances so far.
Good, bad, worse: The remarkable emergence of Jesse Rodriguez and Canelo’s ire.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jesse Rodriquez has said repeatedly that his goal is to be a special fighter, not an average one. Well, there’s nothing average about this boxing savant.
Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai have been 115-pound stalwarts for a decade. The naturally smaller Rodriguez not only beat them, he dominated them.
How did this unfold?
Luck played a key role. Rodriguez was scheduled to take part in a 108-pound fight on the Cuadras-Sor Rungvisai card on Feb. 5. When Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness, Rodriguez agreed to move up two divisions to 115 on five days’ notice and stunned everyone outside his own circle by winning a wide decision and the WBC’s secondary title.
Rodriguez would’ve have been justified had he moved back down weight. Instead, he made the decision to defend his belt against a powerful puncher who has victories over Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez (twice). The result? Rodriguez outclassed him, baffling the Thai star with his elite technical ability and then taking him out in the eighth round.
Sor Rungvisai hadn’t been stopped since his second pro fight, in 2009. Future Hall of Famers Estrada and Gonzalez couldn’t do that.
I hesitate to anoint Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) the next great thing because he’s had only 16 pro fights and both Cuadras (33) and Sor Rungvisai (35) are beyond their primes. At the same time, he has aced the eye test and won two important fights back to back.
One person who hasn’t been surprised by the events of the past four-plus months is Robert Garcia, Rodriguez’s veteran trainer.
“Look man, we know what Bam is all about, we know his talent,” Garcia said on a Little Giant Boxing video. “… So when they offered us a fight, I never even doubted that we’d be able to beat him. … At the end, everybody ended up seeing pound-for-pound one of the best in the world. And he’s only 22. He’s a baby.”
A bad ass baby.
BAD
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai couldn’t solve Jesse Rodriguez. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
One had to feel for Sor Rungvisai (50-6-1, 43 KOs) when it became clear that his mission was impossible on Saturday.
He overcame a 1-3-1 start to his career to become a two-time junior bantamweight champion and a potential Hall of Famer. He lost a technical decision to Cuadras, split two fights with Estrada and has the two victories over “Chocolatito”, the second a brutal fourth-round knockout that lifted him to stardom.
I was at that fight, which took place in what is now Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. I left the arena in awe of Sor Rungvisai, who has rare punching power for a man his size. He, too, was special.
And he seemed to be on track to get a shot at the winner of an anticipated third fight between Estrada (the WBC’s “franchise” champion) and Gonzalez, which could happen later this year. All he had to do was beat Cuadras in February and then wait.
Well, we know what happened. He had to pull out of the Cuadras fight, which opened the door for Rodriguez’s emergence. And then he suffered his most thorough defeat since the early years of his career.
The look on his face between the seventh round, in which he was knocked down, and the eighth said a lot. He seemed to be thinking, “Oh man, what have I gotten myself into here? What do I do?” He was essentially helpless by that point, a beaten man.
That was difficult to see given his enduring place among the top 115-pounders and his pride.
If we’ve seen the last of him, he certainly should be pleased with his career. The two titles, the victories over his rivals, the fact he remained an elite 115-pounder for more than a decade. All that made him one of the greatest Thai fighters of all time, which is saying something given the boxing tradition in that country.
Sor Rungvisai simply ran into a juggernaut on Saturday. In the end, with all his accomplishments, he won’t be judged by this one setback.
WORSE
Canelo Alvarez is a sensitive guy.
He didn’t like the fact that Sept. 17 opponent Gennadiy Golovkin called him a drug chat after Alvarez failed a drug test before their second fight in 2018, which resulted in Alvarez’s suspension and delayed the bout.
Alvarez blamed the positive test on tainted meat but athletes are responsible for everything that goes into their bodies, which lends credence to Triple-G’s comments.
They seemed to settle their differences when they shook hands after their second fight but, obviously, that wasn’t the case.
Alvarez didn’t like the fact that Golovkin accused Alvarez of avoiding him after that second meeting, a close points victory for the Mexican that followed a draw the previous year. Golovkin arguably earned a third fight. And Alvarez did fight mostly lesser opponents between 2018 and his loss to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Still, Alvarez called Golovkin an “a—hole” at the kickoff news conference. And he vowed to retire the popular 40-year-old Kazakhstani star by knockout, which was a bit harsh given how competitive their first two fights were and Triple-G’s accomplishments over his decorated career.
Maybe Alvarez is just trying to sell the fight, which might need a nudge given the perception that Golovkin is in decline. Or maybe Alvarez is just revealing thin skin, as Golovkin suggested.
“If he says he still has something against me,” Golovkin said, “… that’s his problem, not mine.”
RABBIT PUNCHES
Unified junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) looked sharp in his defense against veteran Ronny Rios on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai undercard, particularly given what he said was a lead-hand injury early in the fight. The southpaw from Uzbekistan outboxed and outworked a good fighter before finally stopping him in the 12th and final round. I don’t think he will beat Stephen Fulton if they meet for all the 122-pound titles but he’s good enough to push his rival. And kudos to Rios (33-4, 16 KOs) on a good career. The Southern California fighter performed on a high level for a long time. … Undisputed welterweight champ Jessica McCaskill (12-2, 5 KOs) isn’t much of a technician but she’s athletic and has good boxing instincts, which has been enough to make her a star in the women’s ranks. She blew out Alma Ibarra (10-2, 5 KOs) of Mexico on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card, stopping her after three one-sided rounds. McCaskill has come a long way since losing a wide decision to Katie Taylor in 2017. She has won seven in a row since, including two victories over future Hall of Famer Cecilia Braekhus. I hope McCaskill gets the fight she wants, a showdown with 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron. … Skillful featherweight contender Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs) easily outpointed Richard Medina (13-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card. Ford is going to be extremely difficult to beat if he stays focused and avoids firefights. He’s that good when he’s at his best.
Good, bad, worse: The remarkable emergence of Jesse Rodriguez and Canelo’s ire.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jesse Rodriquez has said repeatedly that his goal is to be a special fighter, not an average one. Well, there’s nothing average about this boxing savant.
Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai have been 115-pound stalwarts for a decade. The naturally smaller Rodriguez not only beat them, he dominated them.
How did this unfold?
Luck played a key role. Rodriguez was scheduled to take part in a 108-pound fight on the Cuadras-Sor Rungvisai card on Feb. 5. When Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness, Rodriguez agreed to move up two divisions to 115 on five days’ notice and stunned everyone outside his own circle by winning a wide decision and the WBC’s secondary title.
Rodriguez would’ve have been justified had he moved back down weight. Instead, he made the decision to defend his belt against a powerful puncher who has victories over Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez (twice). The result? Rodriguez outclassed him, baffling the Thai star with his elite technical ability and then taking him out in the eighth round.
Sor Rungvisai hadn’t been stopped since his second pro fight, in 2009. Future Hall of Famers Estrada and Gonzalez couldn’t do that.
I hesitate to anoint Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) the next great thing because he’s had only 16 pro fights and both Cuadras (33) and Sor Rungvisai (35) are beyond their primes. At the same time, he has aced the eye test and won two important fights back to back.
One person who hasn’t been surprised by the events of the past four-plus months is Robert Garcia, Rodriguez’s veteran trainer.
“Look man, we know what Bam is all about, we know his talent,” Garcia said on a Little Giant Boxing video. “… So when they offered us a fight, I never even doubted that we’d be able to beat him. … At the end, everybody ended up seeing pound-for-pound one of the best in the world. And he’s only 22. He’s a baby.”
A bad ass baby.
BAD
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai couldn’t solve Jesse Rodriguez. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
One had to feel for Sor Rungvisai (50-6-1, 43 KOs) when it became clear that his mission was impossible on Saturday.
He overcame a 1-3-1 start to his career to become a two-time junior bantamweight champion and a potential Hall of Famer. He lost a technical decision to Cuadras, split two fights with Estrada and has the two victories over “Chocolatito”, the second a brutal fourth-round knockout that lifted him to stardom.
I was at that fight, which took place in what is now Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. I left the arena in awe of Sor Rungvisai, who has rare punching power for a man his size. He, too, was special.
And he seemed to be on track to get a shot at the winner of an anticipated third fight between Estrada (the WBC’s “franchise” champion) and Gonzalez, which could happen later this year. All he had to do was beat Cuadras in February and then wait.
Well, we know what happened. He had to pull out of the Cuadras fight, which opened the door for Rodriguez’s emergence. And then he suffered his most thorough defeat since the early years of his career.
The look on his face between the seventh round, in which he was knocked down, and the eighth said a lot. He seemed to be thinking, “Oh man, what have I gotten myself into here? What do I do?” He was essentially helpless by that point, a beaten man.
That was difficult to see given his enduring place among the top 115-pounders and his pride.
If we’ve seen the last of him, he certainly should be pleased with his career. The two titles, the victories over his rivals, the fact he remained an elite 115-pounder for more than a decade. All that made him one of the greatest Thai fighters of all time, which is saying something given the boxing tradition in that country.
Sor Rungvisai simply ran into a juggernaut on Saturday. In the end, with all his accomplishments, he won’t be judged by this one setback.
WORSE
Canelo Alvarez is a sensitive guy.
He didn’t like the fact that Sept. 17 opponent Gennadiy Golovkin called him a drug chat after Alvarez failed a drug test before their second fight in 2018, which resulted in Alvarez’s suspension and delayed the bout.
Alvarez blamed the positive test on tainted meat but athletes are responsible for everything that goes into their bodies, which lends credence to Triple-G’s comments.
They seemed to settle their differences when they shook hands after their second fight but, obviously, that wasn’t the case.
Alvarez didn’t like the fact that Golovkin accused Alvarez of avoiding him after that second meeting, a close points victory for the Mexican that followed a draw the previous year. Golovkin arguably earned a third fight. And Alvarez did fight mostly lesser opponents between 2018 and his loss to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Still, Alvarez called Golovkin an “a—hole” at the kickoff news conference. And he vowed to retire the popular 40-year-old Kazakhstani star by knockout, which was a bit harsh given how competitive their first two fights were and Triple-G’s accomplishments over his decorated career.
Maybe Alvarez is just trying to sell the fight, which might need a nudge given the perception that Golovkin is in decline. Or maybe Alvarez is just revealing thin skin, as Golovkin suggested.
“If he says he still has something against me,” Golovkin said, “… that’s his problem, not mine.”
RABBIT PUNCHES
Unified junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) looked sharp in his defense against veteran Ronny Rios on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai undercard, particularly given what he said was a lead-hand injury early in the fight. The southpaw from Uzbekistan outboxed and outworked a good fighter before finally stopping him in the 12th and final round. I don’t think he will beat Stephen Fulton if they meet for all the 122-pound titles but he’s good enough to push his rival. And kudos to Rios (33-4, 16 KOs) on a good career. The Southern California fighter performed on a high level for a long time. … Undisputed welterweight champ Jessica McCaskill (12-2, 5 KOs) isn’t much of a technician but she’s athletic and has good boxing instincts, which has been enough to make her a star in the women’s ranks. She blew out Alma Ibarra (10-2, 5 KOs) of Mexico on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card, stopping her after three one-sided rounds. McCaskill has come a long way since losing a wide decision to Katie Taylor in 2017. She has won seven in a row since, including two victories over future Hall of Famer Cecilia Braekhus. I hope McCaskill gets the fight she wants, a showdown with 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron. … Skillful featherweight contender Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs) easily outpointed Richard Medina (13-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card. Ford is going to be extremely difficult to beat if he stays focused and avoids firefights. He’s that good when he’s at his best.
