Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez vs. Cristian Gonzalez | DAZN - April 8, 2023

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Bam looks to return March 25th..

Mostly likely will challenge Gonzalez for the WBO Flyweight belt, which is vacant.

[SendoTakeshi]

Sadly not the Gonzalez I wanna see him fight.
Would've been crazy if he beat SSR, Chocolatito and Estrada back to back.

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Sources: Jesse Rodriguez, Cristian Gonzalez set for title fight

Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez will meet Cristian Gonzalez for the WBO's vacant flyweight title on April 8 in San Antonio, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Rodriguez is ESPN's No. 3 boxer at 115 pounds but revealed plans to move down one weight class following his September victory over Israel Gonzalez.

At 112 pounds, Rodriguez will chase his first full-fledged world title. He was the WBC titleholder at 115 pounds after Juan Francisco Estrada, the organization's longtime champion, was bestowed franchise champion status.

Now, Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs) will set up shop in a familiar weight class when he takes on Cristian Gonzalez, who has lost only once but has never competed outside his native Mexico.

Rodriguez, 22, who is from San Antonio, broke out last year in a big way. He began his 2022 campaign with a decision victory over former champion Carlos Cuadras in February.

He followed up with an even more impressive victory, an eight-round TKO of longtime former champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. Rungvisai owns wins over future Hall of Famers Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez and Estrada, and Rodriguez was able to pick him apart in a star-making performance.

After that victory, Rodriguez signed a long-term extension with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and returned with a decision win over Israel Gonzalez on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin 3 undercard.

Hearn hoped to match Rodriguez with Estrada and perhaps Chocolatito in 2023, but those plans are on hold for now while he campaigns at 112 pounds. (Rodriguez's brother, Joshua Franco, retained his 115-pound title following a draw with Kazuto Ioka on Dec. 31.)

The 23-year-old Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs) has never faced an opponent of significance.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 8: JESSE ‘BAM’ RODRIGUEZ VS. CRISTIAN GONZALEZ

Boxing’s youngest World Champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs) attempts to become a two-weight ruler when he clashes with Cristian ‘El Chicharito’ Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant WBO 112lbs at the Boeing Center at Tech Port, San Antonio. The 23-year-old sensation from San Antonio, Texas enjoyed a stellar 2022, becoming boxing’s youngest active World Champion in February, stepping in late to meet Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC Super-Flyweight strap in Phoenix and then putting on a stunning display in his first defence, stopping Thai star Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on his San Antonio home turf in June inside eight rounds. He was named the Fighter of the Year by ESPN in their midyear awards for 2022 before outpointing Israel Gonzalez on the ‘Canelo’ vs. ‘GGG’ undercard in September.

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Raymond Ford will face former WBO junior featherweight titlist Jessie Magdaleno in a ten-round featherweight contest.

[margaret thatcher]

that's a strong s tep up for ford

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Galal Yafai on the card

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Fight Week!!

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Fight Night!!

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Date: Saturday April 8, 2023
Location: Boeing Center at Tech Port - San Antonio, TX
TV/Stream: DAZN

Start Times
Youtube: 5:15 pm ET | 2:15 pm PT | 10:15 pm BST (Preliminary Card)
DAZN: 8 pm ET | 5 pm PT | 1 am BST (Main Card)

Promoted by: Matchroom Boxing

Main Card

Vacant WBO Flyweight Championship
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Cristian Gonzalez

Unified WBA & IBF Super Bantamweight Championship
Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Marlon Tapales

WBA Continental Americas Featherweight Championship
Raymond Ford vs. Jessie Magdaleno

WBC Continental Americas Super Featherweight Championship
Thomas Mattice vs. Ramiro Cesena

Undercard

10 Round Middleweight Bout
Israil Madrimov vs. Raphael Igbokwe

8 Round Lightweight Bout
Marc Castro vs. Ricardo Lopez

6 Round Light Heavyweight Bout
Khalil Coe vs. Aaron Casper

4 Round Super Bantamweight Bout
Jesus Martinez vs. Jose Lopez

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Prelims have begun

[gregregegg]

Castro is a weird looking dude.

[margaret thatcher]

he kinda looks like elon must with feminizing latino facial surgery

[margaret thatcher]

castro for once looking like he actually learned to box and not just a pub brawler

[gregregegg]

It’s almost like Castro is a blue chip prospect that’s not very good… fun to watch but I still don’t fully understand why I know who he is… he is in a legit fight (winning comfortably but not stopping him and getting tagged now and then) against world number 450…

[gregregegg]

That would have been stopped 3 times if that was in the UK… not great for Lopez’s health but sure helps castros career letting him unleash. Nice to see a fight not stopped first clean shot…
(I think at this incredibly low level it should have been stopped a little earlier, Lopez Cleary didn’t want it the last 20 seconds)…

[margaret thatcher]

he was a dominant junior amateur and won the world juniors multiple times, hardly ever lost an am fight i think, but you would never have guessed..........that was actually one of his best performances, he was a lot cruder in prior fights

[gregregegg]

he was a dominant junior amateur and won the world juniors multiple times, hardly ever lost an am fight i think, but you would never have guessed..........that was actually one of his best performances, he was a lot cruder in prior fights

Yea but not like he was world champs or olympics… no doubt good amature, no doubt fun fighter, but his name is bigger than it should be…. Fair play though, pic his path well and it will be a fun journey.

[gregregegg]

Amazing how madrimovs carrer has stalled. Still young so plenty of time I guess, but needs to get back into the big time asap. I guess 154 is stalled out right now but you wanna be there and be ready when that vacant belt comes up.

[gregregegg]

Igbokwe had a hall of fame chin. Even tired with accumulation he is taking bombs and not even getting rocked… well, got slightttly rocked last punch of the fight but it was at the end of a combo that would of KO’d a moose…

[gregregegg]

Matchroom just signed a multi fight deal with this mattice guy.... he is 3-0 down for me. looking slick is one thing, but a tough mexican throwing combos is making it tricky for him... hope they got this cesena guy, dosent look unreal but he looks fun and is winning.

small weight class mexicans in that 25th-50th in the world region are just the best thing out there when it comes to entertainment.