Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Fernando Martinez | DAZN - November 22, 2025

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Eddie Hearn: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez-Fernando Martinez is ‘one of the best fights in boxing’

Eddie Hearn believes a unification match between lineal and WBC junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and WBA titleholder Fernando Martinez is one of the best that can be made.

Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), excelled in 2024. He defeated Juan Francisco Estrada via seventh-round knockout in June to become the new king at 115lbs, then defended his throne in November with a third-round stoppage of Pedro Guevara.

The 25-year-old Rodriguez is, as yet, without an opponent. Martinez, 17-0 (9 KOs), needs to return to the ring after an illness forced him to withdraw at the last minute from a New Year’s Eve rematch with Kazuto Ioka.

“The ‘Puma’ Martinez fight is just a brilliant, brilliant fight,” Hearn told BS. “And we really want ‘Bam’ to unify. Could that land on a Ring [Magazine promoted] card? If not, we’d be happy to do that on DAZN as well as part of our schedule. It’s one of the best fights in boxing. We’ll see.”

One weight class below, at flyweight, Hearn expects to announce the next fight of the WBC interim titleholder Galal Yafai shortly. It is expected to come against the first-ranked contender, Francisco Rodriguez Jnr, in May or June.

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Eddie Hearn hopes to sign Bam-Martinez within two weeks

Eddie Hearn is giving his attempts to make Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez-Fernando “Puma” Martinez another two weeks.

IBF junior bantamweight champion Rodriguez last boxed in November, scoring a third-round stoppage of Pedro Guevara in Philadelphia.

One of the finest fighters in the sport, he is now 21-0 (14 KOs). Martinez has the WBA title and is 17-0 (9 KOs).

“Bam, we’re talking to His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] about Bam against Puma Martinez,” Hearn told BS.

“That's the fight we want. I think it’s one of the best fights in the sport.”

Asked if the fight would be headed to Riyadh, Hearn replied: “No, it would be in America. If we can't get that made in the next two weeks, Bam will fight in May, and he’ll defend his titles.”

Before Guevara, Rodriguez proved a hit in Phoenix, and Hearn would not rule out taking Bam back to Footprint Center.

“Possibly,” he said. “I'd quite like to go back to San Antonio. It’s his hometown. But we really want the unification because I feel like that's the natural move.”

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‘Bam’ Rodriguez has Fernando Martinez unification in play with win on July 19

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has the one fight ahead of him that is worth staying put at 115lbs.

The unbeaten two-division and reigning lineal and WBC junior bantamweight champion is now due for back-to-back unification bouts should everything go his way later this month. With a win over WBO titlist Phumulele Cafu on July 19, Rodriguez will then take on WBA titleholder Fernando “Pumita” Martinez in November.

News of the latter bout was revealed on Friday by Turki Alalshikh, whose Riyadh Season group will finance the match and the card on which it will appear.

“Another blockbuster fight,” Alalshikh posted on X. “WBC [115lbs] world champion Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez will collide with WBA champion Fernando 'Puma' Martinez, as part of the MASSIVE Riyadh Season card in November.”

Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), is a heavy betting favorite to prevail over South Africa’s Cafu, 11-0-3 (8 KOs), in their two-belt unification showdown. They will meet atop a DAZN show from the Ford Center at The Star, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad in Frisco, Texas.

There was speculation that Rodriguez, a 25-year-old San Antonio native, would abandon the division after the fight and begin his bantamweight campaign. That matter was addressed by Rodriguez at a time when he didn’t know his immediate dream fight was already on the horizon.

“Say I do beat Cafu – because I’m not looking past him – [undisputed] is my original plan,” Rodriguez told BS in an interview before his pending fight with Martinez was finalized. “If we can’t get those fights, then I really don’t have no problem moving up, either.”

For now, Rodriguez can remain at 115 and add a second and possibly third belt to his current collection all in the next five months.

Argentina’s Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), is coming off a repeat win over Kazuto Ioka. The unbeaten 33-year-old from Buenos Aires once again traveled to Japan, upending the former four-division titlist via unanimous decision. Martinez survived a late knockdown to prevail on all three scorecards and retain his WBA title.

Their rematch came 10 months after their incredible unification clash last July, in which Martinez outpointed Ioka to retain his IBF belt and claim the WBA strap. He was stripped of the IBF title when he opted to move forward with the Ioka rematch in lieu of a mandatory title defense against Willibaldo Garcia, who has since claimed the vacant belt.

Martinez-Ioka II was delayed, however, from its original date last New Year’s Eve. Martinez fell ill during fight week and was forced to withdraw from the fight. He and Ioka were in discussions for a new date when Martinez’s team also opened up talks with Rodriguez. The latter conversation quickly died down once he was able to move forward with the Ioka sequel.

Rodriguez originally won the WBC 115lbs title in 2022 and defended it twice before he moved down to flyweight, where he unified the WBO and IBF belts in back-to-back fights. The back end of that feat came in a December 2023 stoppage win over unbeaten Sunny Edwards, before he decided to return to junior bantamweight.

Rodriguez’s second and current tour as 115lbs ruler was launched last June, when Rodriguez dethroned Juan Francisco Estrada. Both fighters hit the deck before Rodriguez prevailed via seventh-round body-shot knockout to enter his third title reign. He has since added a third-round knockout of Pedro Guevara, in Philadelphia last November.

Rodriguez-Martinez – pending the July 19 outcome – is the fourth confirmed title fight for the planned Riyadh Season show on a November date to be determined. As previously reported by BS, the event also includes the David Benavidez-Anthony Yarde WBC 175lbs title fight, Brian Norman Jnr’s WBO 147lbs title defense against former two-division champ Devin Haney and the Abdullah Mason-Sam Noakes vacant WBO lightweight title clash.

Rumors have swirled of a potential clash between IBF 135lbs titleholder Raymond Muratalla and mandatory challenger Andy Cruz also joining the lineup. However, such claims are unconfirmed as this story goes to publication.

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David Benavidez-Anthony Yarde, three more title bouts confirmed for November 22 card

The four title fights that have all recently been teased for the same fall quadrupleheader now have a date and a location: November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The show will feature WBC light heavyweight titleholder David Benavidez making his first defense against Anthony Yarde; Brian Norman Jnr putting his WBO welterweight belt on the line against Devin Haney; Abdullah Mason taking on Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title; and a unification bout between junior bantamweights Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Fernando Martinez.

Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh announced the event, which will stream on DAZN, in a social media post on Monday.

Benavidez, 30-0 (24 KOs), won the interim WBC title last year with a unanimous decision over Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Benavidez then added the secondary WBA “regular” belt this past February when he outpointed David Morrell. Benavidez was subsequently upgraded by the WBC after Dmitry Bivol vacated its title and his status as the undisputed four-belt champion. Bivol opted for a trilogy with Artur Beterbiev rather than his mandatory obligation against Benavidez, though that rubber match still hasn’t been locked in.

Yarde, 27-3 (24 KOs), has come up short in his previous two title fights, suffering stoppage losses to Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and Beterbiev in 2023, though he had moments in both defeats. Yarde has won four in a row, wrapping his trilogy with Lyndon Arthur in April with a unanimous decision victory.

Norman, 28-0 (22 KOs), was upgraded from interim to full titleholder by the WBO following Terence Crawford’s departure from the welterweight division. Norman has won both of his defenses via TKO, demolishing Derrieck Cuevas in three rounds in March and Jin Sasaki in five rounds last month in a contender for Knockout of the Year.

Haney, 32-0 (15 KOs), is a former undisputed lightweight champion and a former junior welterweight titleholder. His decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024, in which he suffered three knockdowns and heavy damage, was changed to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Haney spent about a year away, coming back this past May with a much-derided decision win in which he moved his feet far more than his fists against Jose Ramirez.

Mason, 19-0 (17 KOs), is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Jeremia Nakathila in June on the same show that was supposed to feature Keyshawn Davis defending the WBO lightweight belt against Edwin De Los Santos. Davis came in overweight, the fight was canceled and the title was left vacant. Mason is ranked No. 1 by the sanctioning body.

Just behind Mason, at No. 2, is Noakes, 17-0 (15 KOs). He is coming off a near-shutout of the 29-4-2 Ryan Walsh in December and a three-round KO of the 13-4-1 Patrik Balaz in a stay-busy, over-the-limit appearance in May.

Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), established himself as a world-class fighter in February 2022 with a decision over Carlos Cuadras to capture the vacant WBC belt at 115lbs. After two more wins, including a TKO of former champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Rodriguez then moved down to 112lbs and won two titles there, finishing up with a dominant stoppage of Sunny Edwards. Rodriguez then returned to junior bantamweight last year, putting away Juan Francisco Estrada to regain the WBC title and add the Ring Magazine championship.

Rodriguez also has a fight scheduled less than two weeks from now, a July 19 unification bout with WBO titleholder Phumelele Cafu.

Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), was previously a unified titleholder himself. He won the IBF title from Jerwin Ancajas in 2022 and added the WBA belt with a decision over Kazuto Ioka in 2024. Martinez then vacated the IBF title ahead of a rematch with Ioka, which Martinez won by decision this May.

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Fernando Martinez wants to show he’s ‘the best champion’

Boxing press conferences are used to promote a fight – but also to drum up hostility between the fighters.

Both those things are difficult to achieve without the A-side there in person.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez had a good reason not to be present at the New York City press conference for his November fight with Fernando “Puma” Rodriguez, just one part of a star-studded November 22 card headlined by light heavyweights David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde. Also featured on the slate is a welterweight clash of styles between Brian Norman Jnr and Devin Haney, as well as rising star Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title.

Rodriguez, already in possession of a Hall of Fame-worthy resume at 25 years old, has another fight first – a junior bantamweight unification against Phumelela Cafu on July 19. So as Martinez sat at the press conference, Rodriguez was grinding away in the final days of his camp.

Completely understandable. In an era of inactive stars, Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), is one of a very few to have his next two fights scheduled on BoxRec. It did make for an awkward situation for Martinez, however.

“It’s a weird feeling, absolutely,” Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), admitted through a translator. “But I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I’m grateful to all the promoters who put the show together, and I’m going to come prepared to do my job.

“I’ve fought two great champions and beat them,” Martinez added. “And on November 22, I’m going to show the world that I’m the best champion. The main thing I got out of those fights was experience, and I’m going to show that on November 22.”

Though Rodriguez wasn’t present, Martinez paid the pound-for-pound star respect. Asked for a prediction for the Rodriguez-Cafu fight, Martinez called it as a knockout win for Rodriguez.

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I guess this fight is on then.

[giacomino]

Should be a fun fight. I like both fighters, both throw tons of punches. I think Bam's greater power will eventually make the dfifference and he wins via late TKO or clear decision, but it will be a great fight nonetheless

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JESSE 'BAM' RODRIGUEZ WELCOMES FREE AGENCY AS MATCHROOM DEAL NEARS END

Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez couldn't be entering free agency at a better time.

The Ring, WBC and WBO 115-pound champion is entering the final fight of his promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing as he prepares for his unification fight against WBA titleholder Fernando Martinez on Nov. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"The big thing with Bam is that this is going to be our last fight under contract with Matchroom," Robert Garcia, Rodriguez's trainer, manager and career-long confidant told The Ring. "So the doors are going to be open for Bam. It's an important issue. We are going to have to be smart with what we are going to do next.

"Bam is very happy with Matchroom, and so am I. But we definitely have to make sure that Bam is in a position where he can call the shots from now on."

Garcia emphasized that he likes Rodriguez’s chances of stopping Martinez and moving on to collect the last-remaining belt at junior bantamweight against IBF titleholder Willibaldo Garcia Perez. He'd become the undisputed king of the division before moving up to 118 pounds.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn is responsible for building Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) into one of the sport's most elite fighters, signing the 25-year-old southpaw from San Antonio, Texas, after bounced around Top Rank, PBC and 360 Promotions shows as an up-and-comer.

Matchroom announced the signing of Rodriguez in January 2022, right before he scored a unanimous decision against Carlos Cuadras as a late-replacement opponent in a title fight.

The meteoric rise followed right after, as Rodriguez reeled off wins against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Sunny Edwards, Juan Francisco Estrada, and most recently in July, against Phumelela Cafu. Along the way, Rodriguez also became a unified champion at 112 pounds.

In October, a week before Rodriguez beat Pedro Guevara, Matchroom announced they had extended his promotional deal, making him a leading force in its United States efforts alongside Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

Rodriguez has also been linked to Teiken Promotions throughout his career, and the affiliation with the highly respected Akihiko Honda has prevented him from facing Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez and Junto Nakatani.

Rodriguez is The Ring's No. 6-ranked pound-for-pound fighter.

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Matchroom discussing contract extension with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez

Matchroom Boxing is seeking to extend the contract of unified junior bantamweight titleholder Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

Rodriguez will put his WBC and WBO belts on the line November 22 when he takes on WBA belt holder Fernando Martinez in a three-belt unification. There are rumors that the coming bout will be the last on his current deal with Matchroom Boxing, leaving Rodriguez a free agent in the aftermath.

IBF junior welterweight titlist Richardson Hitchins found himself in a similar situation recently, announcing his stance as a free agent in his postfight interview after defeating George Kambosos Jnr back in June. There has since been no news on a deal for Hitchins, though Matchroom was successful recently in tying down one of its stars. Jaron “Boots”’ Ennis put pen to paper on a new long-term deal ahead of his first-round finish of Uisma Lima last week.

Matchroom will now aim to do the same with Rodriguez.

“Look, we're in discussions about extending – I think we've had a great relationship with ‘Bam’ Rodriguez,” Matchroom CEO Frank Smith told BS. “I think we've done great things together and will continue to do great things. I'm excited about what the future holds. He undoubtedly is pound-for-pound one of the best fighters in the world right now, so yeah, there's lots to talk about what's next for him.

“Someone like ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, everyone wants to promote ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. I think we're in a great place, especially in US boxing. When you look at the stars, you know, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis signed a new long-term extension with us. Undoubtedly, as we keep saying, he is going to be the pound-for-pound No. 1 in the sport in time to come. So people like him, people like ‘Bam,’ it's very important to keep him as part of the books.”

Tom Ivers is an amateur boxer who has a masters degree in sports journalism. He had his f

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‘BAM’ RODRIGUEZ FEELS IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER FERNANDO MARTINEZ HELPS HIM CLIMB P4P LIST

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez respects the five fighters ranked ahead of him on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list.

If he defeats Fernando Martinez in the dominant fashion he anticipates next month, though, the 25-year-old San Antonio native believes he could make a credible case for entering a top five that consists of Terence Crawford at number one, Oleksandr Usyk ranked second, Naoya Inoue rated third, Dmitry Bivol fourth and Artur Beterbiev fifth.

“Humbly enough, I’m able to say, you know, I feel like I’m placed correctly on the pound-for-pound list,” Rodriguez said during the newest episode of “Inside The Ring,” which premiered Monday on DAZN. “But come November 22nd, if I’m able to go out there and perform how I have been against a fighter like Martinez, that’s definitely gonna put me up there with the Usyks, Crawfords and ‘The Monster’ [Inoue].”

Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) and Argentina’s Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) will fight for Rodriguez’s Ring, WBC and WBO and Martinez’s WBA 115-pound championships November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Martinez is The Ring’s No. 1 contender for Rodriguez’s junior bantamweight title.

Their 12-rounder will part of “The Ring IV: Night of Champions,” a four-fight pay-view event DAZN will distribute in the United States ($59.99) and the UK (£24.99).

Phoenix’s David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) will defend his WBC light heavyweight title against England’s Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) in the 12-round main event. Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC), of Conyers, Georgia, and former undisputed lightweight champ Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC), of Henderson, Nevada, will fight for Norman’s WBO welterweight title in the 12-round co-feature.

Cleveland’s Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and England’s Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) are set to square off for the vacant WBO lightweight title in the 12-round opener prior to the Rodriguez-Martinez match.

Competing on such a stacked card has energized Rodriguez, a skillful, strong southpaw who wants to become undisputed champion in the 115-pound division before he moves up to bantamweight.

“I’ve said it in previous interviews, my last fight I was the main event in my home state of Texas,” Rodriguez said in reference to his 10th-round technical knockout of South Africa’s Phumelela Cafu on July 19 in Frisco. “And, you know, I wasn’t nowhere near as excited as I am for this card. So, I think that just goes to show how big this card [is], how big the card is gonna be. So, just to be part of something like this, it’s a blessing. … If anything, it’s just gonna make me fight harder to go out there and perform, like you said, steal the show.”

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Fight Week!!

[handsofstone]

This is going criminally under the radar, best fight in a long time

[goose 5]

For certain. Bam will win, imo. Decision.

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Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez targets two more junior bantamweight fights before moving up

Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez has given himself two fights to clean up the junior bantamweight division before moving up a weight class.

The San Antonio, Texas-based boxer faces Fernando Daniel Martinez for three world title belts at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, part of a stacked card that also features David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde (light heavyweight) and Brian Norman vs Devin Haney (welterweight) in world title fights.

WBC, WBO champion Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), 25, stopped Phumelela Cafu in Round 10 to win a second title in July and is currently ranked No. 5 in ESPN's pound-for-pound list ahead of facing Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs), 34, from Buenos Aires in Argentina, who has made four title defences in his reign as WBA champion.

If he beats Martinez, Bam will need one more belt to achieve his goal of being the undisputed champion at 115 pounds. Willibaldo Garcia (23-6-2, 13 KOs), 35, from Mexico, holds the IBF title, which he defends against Kenshiro Teraji in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 25.

"Undisputed is the goal, if I get past Martinez there's just one belt left, so I am pretty close to accomplishing that," Bam told ESPN.

"I will have two more fights at junior bantamweight maximum, and then move up. So this one, and then one more, to become undisputed.

"I feel the undisputed fight [vs. the IBF champion] can be made, I have Matchroom and my whole team behind me, they will make that fight happen, I have full confidence in it happening.

"Martinez is a good fighter, he's very relentless and doesn't stop throwing, but I'm more than ready for him. To have all these fighters on one card on Saturday is incredible and to be part of it is really exciting, it's only good for the sport of boxing."

This will be Bam's third title defence at junior bantamweight after also unifying the world titles at flyweight. Rodriguez reckons he can box at featherweight (126 pounds) and says the likes of undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue and his Japanese rival Junto Nakatani will soon be on his radar.

"We have talked about 126 pounds, that would be the maximum, I'm not sure I can go above that, only time will tell, but I think I will end up my career at 126," Bam told ESPN.

"I think those fights versus Inoue, Nakatani do happen down the line. Inoue vs. Nakatani, when it happens, is a great fight and who ever lands first will be the winner of that one.

"I would love to fight in Japan one day. Every time I go there I enjoy it and I know I have some fans there."

[Gran Hermano]

This is going criminally under the radar, best fight in a long time

Agree. Cannot wait for this one.

[joshj909]

Definitely some bigger fights once Rodriguez moves up if he gets through this one and Garcia. There's not too much else in the weightclass for him, whereas, the two or three weightclasses above have plenty of big fights for him. He would be in prime position to face Inoue after the Inoue/Nakatani fight.

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weigh-in

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Weigh-in Report - Anthony Yarde Lighter Than David Benavidez - Plus undercard

Light heavyweight for Benavidez's WBC world title, 12 rounds
David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs), 174.3 pounds, Miami, Florida
Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs), 173.9 pounds, Ilford, London

Welterweight for Norman's WBO belt, 12 rounds
Brian Norman Jr (28-0, 22 KOs, 2 NC), 146 pounds, Conyers, Georgia
Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC), 146.6 pounds, Las Vegas, Nevada

Ring, IBF, WBC, WBA junior bantamweight unification, 12 rounds
Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), 114.6lbs, San Antonio, Texas
Fernando Daniel Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs), 113.2lbs, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Vacant WBO lightweight title, 12 rounds
Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs), 134 pounds, Cleveland, Ohio
Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs), 134.9 pounds, Maidstone, Kent

[Gran Hermano]

Said it before and I will say it again. And his antics at the weigh ins cement it for me. Martinez is on something 100%. I thought it in both Ioka fights and I think he is here. It will probably take him all 12 rounds but there is no way he outboxes Bam. Maybe he overpowers him and walks him down? It makes it a lot more intriguing anyway

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Fight Night!!

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Hmmm was that a KD in the first..

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