Naoya Inoue vs. Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez - 2027?

[Sendo Takeshi]

That's probaly just because they are just way more skilled than the guy they are fighting...
Superior talent beats a few extra kg of natural weight every time.

And maybe Bam has superior talent.

Never. Even if we assume their skill levels are identical (which is a massive if considering theor resumes): The great big man beats the great small man.

[gilgamesh]

That's probaly just because they are just way more skilled than the guy they are fighting...
Superior talent beats a few extra kg of natural weight every time.

And maybe Bam has superior talent.

Never. Even if we assume their skill levels are identical (which is a massive if considering theor resumes): The great big man beats the great small man.

The Mexican man usually beats the Japanese man too. I'll bet if you had head to head statistics of World Title fights involving Japanese fighters and Mexican fighters, the Mexican has come out ahead like 80% of the time. I could be wrong on that, but I doubt it. The edge has to be in Mexico's favor, it's just a question of margin.

[Sendo Takeshi]

And maybe Bam has superior talent.

Never. Even if we assume their skill levels are identical (which is a massive if considering theor resumes): The great big man beats the great small man.

The Mexican man usually beats the Japanese man too. I'll bet if you had head to head statistics of World Title fights involving Japanese fighters and Mexican fighters, the Mexican has come out ahead like 80% of the time. I could be wrong on that, but I doubt it. The edge has to be in Mexico's favor, it's just a question of margin.

Brother, I believe you watch too much anime

Nationality isn't really an argument for me, especially since Bam is American anyway.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Anything can happen in boxing.

[gilgamesh]

Never. Even if we assume their skill levels are identical (which is a massive if considering theor resumes): The great big man beats the great small man.

The Mexican man usually beats the Japanese man too. I'll bet if you had head to head statistics of World Title fights involving Japanese fighters and Mexican fighters, the Mexican has come out ahead like 80% of the time. I could be wrong on that, but I doubt it. The edge has to be in Mexico's favor, it's just a question of margin.

Brother, I believe you watch too much anime

Nationality isn't really an argument for me, especially since Bam is American anyway.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Anything can happen in boxing.

I'm not saying that Bam will beat Inoue, I just figure he's his a bigger threat than many other potential Inoue opponents.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez: Naoya Inoue showdown is 'inevitable'

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is going upscale, getting bigger, both in weight and pound-for-pound clout. But not much else has changed.

Plans and place are the same for a so-called little guy with global ambitions.

Naoya Inoue, Japan’s Rising Son and still on a mission to prove that nobody at any weight is better, is still the target.

“I think that fight is inevitable,’’ Rodriguez said Thursday at a Central Boxing gym crowded with fans who withstood triple-figure temperatures just for the chance at an autograph.

For at least a couple of years, the Rodriguez-Inoue possibility has been there, a dream fight that now has a realistic chance at happening.

Even Inoue mentioned it amid all the hype surrounding his victory over Junto Nakatani in front of a crowd of 55,000 at Tokyo Dome on May 2.

A lot still has to happen, including a Rodriguez victory over World Boxing Association secondary champion Antonio Vargas on June 13 in his bantamweight debut at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale.

“Win here, and I’ll move on for good from 115 pounds,’’ said Rodriguez, who has the WBC, WBO and WBA super-flyweight belts

Long-term, the Vargas fight is seen as one more step toward Inoue, who has been campaigning at junior-featherweight (122 pounds) and has said he’d also be interested in moving to featherweight.

For Inoue, the most significant factor, however, looks to be age more than weight. He’s 33. The little guys tend to have shorter careers than fighters at heavier weights. Translation: The clock is ticking on how much longer Inoue will be in his prime.

That’s one reason why there’s increased talk about Rodriguez-Inoue sometime in 2027. A past-due date looms for perhaps the biggest fight ever between two little guys.

First, however, there are inevitable moves upscale for the 26-year-old Rodriguez, who said Thursday he was at about 135 pounds. Vargas is an initial test after Rodriguez’ dominant title runs at flyweight and super-fly.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Naoya Inoue-Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez in Japan? 'Without a shadow of a doubt'

If Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez is to step up and take on Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, as reports have suggested is the plan, then he will go and do it in the “Monster’s” backyard.

First, of course, the brilliant 23-0 (16 KOs) Texan Rodriguez is moving up to bantamweight to face Antonio Vargas, 19-1-1 (11 KOs), on June 13 in Glendale, Arizona and while some are keen to discount Vargas, promoter Eddie Hearn is not looking too far ahead.

“I represent Vargas as well, so it’s not really fair to start talking about that fight [Inoue-Bam], but people are going to talk about that fight because they’ve talked about it for years," Hearn told Boxing Scene.

“And with him [Rodriguez] moving up another weight class, it gives them even more reason to talk about it. And I think if he wins on June 13, I think it’s inevitable. Bam is an incredible young man where he wants to move so quick. He’s not someone that wants to be around having loads of voluntary defenses and fighting in eight years’ time. He wants to get in now. “He feels like right now he's in his absolute prime, which he is. So I think that he's got to try and beat Vargas, which is not going to be easy. And if he does that and he feels good at 118lbs, you’ve got to hurry up and make the Inoue fight, because sooner or later Inoue will move to 126lbs and then it will be over. You're talking really once Usyk goes, which probably won't be long, it's number one and number two pound for pound in the sport.”

Is it a fight for Japan, Hearn was asked?

“Yes. Without a shadow of a doubt.”

Inoue, 33-0 (27 KOs), is fresh off a unanimous 12-round decision victory over countryman Junto Nakatani. It took place in Tokyo, Japan, and is widely regarded as the biggest fight in the country's history.

[Ruthless-RKO]

’Why wait?’: Eddie Hearn says Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez possible for 2026

Eddie Hearn says Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez may well happen in 2026

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn says the talk of pitting Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez against Naoya Inoue in a huge pound-for-pound showdown is very real, and could even happen this year.

Hearn doesn’t want to ignore that Rodriguez is moving up to bantamweight to face WBA titleholder Antonio Vargas first on June 13, which he contends is not an easy fight. But if Rodriguez does get through it as expected, then a move to super bantamweight to fight Inoue would be next.

“The move to bantamweight sets that fight up perfectly. We keep talking about what’s next — he’s got to come through Antonio Vargas, the (WBA) champion, on June 13th. That’s a really, really tough fight,” Hearn said tonight on DAZN.

“But the world is awaiting (Inoue vs Bam). Probably outside of Fury-AJ, (it’s) probably the biggest fight out there. Really, with Usyk coming towards the end, it’s gonna be pound-for-pound No. 1 vs pound-for-pound No. 2. If Bam comes through in Phoenix, he just wants the biggest fights.”

Hearn says Rodriguez is not looking to “marinate” any fights or hang around the sport forever picking and choosing when to have tough bouts; he wants them all as soon as they can happen.

“(Bam) doesn’t want to be around for five or six years, he wants to fight everybody now, and now is the time, if he comes through Vargas, for Bam against Inoue. What a fight. The biggest in the lower classes for many, many decades. But Vargas awaits.”

Hearn also says that Turki Alalshikh has already discussed the idea, and would be looking to put it on in late 2026 or early 2027.

“Yeah, I think they’re talking about December or January for that fight. Bam would have six months to wait. It wouldn’t be a problem. Bam loves Japan, he loves it. He goes there on holiday! He don’t care where the fight is. Make the fight. It’ll be a tough challenge first (against Vargas), but if he comes through that, Bam vs Inoue, why wait?”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hearn Confirms Netflix’s Interest In Inoue-Bam Rodriguez Fight

Eddie Hearn confirmed Monday that Netflix executives have expressed interest in streaming a potential showdown between Naoya Inoue and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

“Yeah, look, Turki Alalshikh, Netflix … we’ve spoken to them,” Hearn told The Ring while promoting the Anthony Joshua-Kristian Prenga heavyweight fight in London. “They wanna see the fight. [It’s] the biggest fight for Inoue by a mile.”

Alalshikh, owner of The Ring and chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, wants to complete a deal for Inoue to defend his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 122-pound championships against Rodriguez sometime in January in Inoue’s home country of Japan.

Inoue, 33, is ranked No. 1 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, three spots atop the fourth-rated Rodriguez.

Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) defeated previously unbeaten countryman Junto Nakatani (32-1, 24 KOs) by unanimous decision May 2 before a capacity crowd of approximately 55,000 at Tokyo Dome.

Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) owns The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO junior bantamweight championships, but he will move up from the 115-pound division to 118 for his bantamweight debut June 13. The strong southpaw from San Antonio, Texas is scheduled to challenge WBA champ Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) in a 12-round main event DAZN will stream worldwide from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

DraftKings lists Rodriguez, 26, as a 25-1 favorite over Vargas, of Kissimmee, Florida.

“Vargas is a good fighter, tough opponent,” Hearn said. “And that’s next week. I mean, it’s coming around so quick. And if Bam comes through that, he’ll be calling Inoue out in the ring that night.”

Hearn – whose company, Matchroom Boxing, promotes Rodriguez – isn’t surprised Netflix is intrigued by an Inoue-Rodriguez bout because of its appeal internationally.

“Yeah, it’s a massive, massive fight for Japan,” Hearn said. “You know, and Jessie can beat him. And it would be an unbelievable move to become a four-division world champion. Next week he goes for the third division, so you know, really with [Oleksandr] Usyk probably on his way out and obviously [almost] losing to Rico [Verhoeven], it’s really No. 1 and No. 2, essentially, pound for pound, fighting each other.”