Pound-for-pound: Did Dmitry Bivol and Naoya Inoue do enough in their convincing victories to climb Boxing Junkie’s list?
Dmitry Bivol and Naoya Inoue gave dominating performances within a span of two days.
Bivol, the 175-pound titleholder, shut out Lyndon Arthur on the card featuring big-name heavyweights Saturday in Saudi Arabia. And Inoue stopped Marlon Tapales in 10 rounds to become only the second boxer to win all four major titles in a second division Tuesday in Tokyo.
Did they do enough to move up on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list? No.
No. 4-ranked Bivol didn’t face a serious threat in Arthur, who is no more than a solid contender. He could soon have a chance to climb, though. No. 3 Usyk presumably would drop if he loses to No. 9 Fury. And Bivol could be on a collision course with No. 14 Artur Beterbiev.
No. 2 Inoue overcame a more legitimate challenge against Tapales, a capable, rugged unified champion going into the fight. The Japanese star’s ability to deliver a knockout and make “undisputed” history were significant accomplishments.
However, it wasn’t enough to supplant No. 1 Terence Crawford, who was the first to become undisputed champion in two divisions when he knocked out Errol Spence Jr. in July.
Inoue’s best (only?) chance to reach No. 1 on the list is if Crawford falters, perhaps against No. 7 Jermell Charlo in a much-talked-about potential matchup.
Note: Honorable Mention Kazuto Ioka is scheduled to face Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan. Ioka is expected to defeat the obscure Venezuelan, which would leave Ioka in his current position here.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 14 Artur Beterbiev is scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s success against world class opponents is underscored by CompuBox statistics.
The latest CompuBox statistics support what we already know: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is a special fighter.
Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) masterfully outboxed, broke down and ultimately knocked out previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) after nine rounds to unify two 112-pound titles and enhance his reputation Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.
The winner landed a remarkable 62.1% of his power shots against an opponent billed as a defensive specialist, which underscored his dominance.
CompuBox released more numbers Monday that indicate how effective the 23-year-old Texan has been against elite opponents. Here is where he stands in three key statistical categories: Plus/minus (connect percentage vs. opponents’ connect percentage), total connect percentage and power punch connect percentage.
Note: These numbers are limited to fights against “championship-caliber opponents,” according to CompuBox.
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s success against world class opponents is underscored by CompuBox statistics.
The latest CompuBox statistics support what we already know: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is a special fighter.
Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) masterfully outboxed, broke down and ultimately knocked out previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) after nine rounds to unify two 112-pound titles and enhance his reputation Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.
The winner landed a remarkable 62.1% of his power shots against an opponent billed as a defensive specialist, which underscored his dominance.
CompuBox released more numbers Monday that indicate how effective the 23-year-old Texan has been against elite opponents. Here is where he stands in three key statistical categories: Plus/minus (connect percentage vs. opponents’ connect percentage), total connect percentage and power punch connect percentage.
Note: These numbers are limited to fights against “championship-caliber opponents,” according to CompuBox.
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.
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. …
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.
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. …
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.
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.
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.
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 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.”
