Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
-
Sendo Takeshi
- Flyweight
- Posts: 846
- Joined: 23 Dec 2023, 15:07
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
I was worried for Tsuboi, but now it's safe to say he'll be champ soon.
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Hearn: 'Bam' Rodriguez could retire before 30
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is here for a good time, not a long time.
Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has promoted him for the last four years and just re-signed The Ring’s No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter to a new promotional deal.
But the Brit believes the 26-year-old won't be fighting past 2030.
“Bam is a fierce competitor,” Hearn said on DAZN. “He doesn't want to be around for five or six years. He wants the biggest fights as soon as possible. Before [30 years old, he could retire]. I think even potentially before that.
“He wants belts, undoubtedly, but he wants the biggest fights ASAP, and we should be celebrating that.”
For now, calling it quits is nowhere to be found on the calendar with Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) as he makes his 118-pound debut Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, against WBA bantamweight titleholder Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs).
If Rodriguez gets past Vargas, he plans to leverage the stage to challenge Naoya Inoue, the undisputed junior featherweight champion and the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
“Bam is like, ‘Don't wait, make it.' He's ready to go from Vargas into Inoue,” Hearn said. “We are ready. But listen, Vargas has got a lot to say. It's a massive crowd coming to Arizona on June 13, and that's a big moment for him. If he wins, he'll be calling out Inoue. We're ready to make it happen.
“Outside of Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury, I think Rodriguez-Inoue is the biggest fight in boxing. I think it's the best fight in boxing in terms of the ability, the prime of both men. It is a massive fight.”
Rodriguez holds The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 115-pound crowns, but he’s maintained that his days at junior bantamweight are done.
“Bam has a very tough fight against Vargas to try and become a three-division champion,” Hearn said. “That's a great move toward 122, and it is a big step up. I think 118 is going to be perfect for his body right now, and then 122 is another leap.
“I think this is the first time I've seen Bam actively calling the Inoue fight out ... And that is a real statement of intent in terms of what he wants from his career.”
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is here for a good time, not a long time.
Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has promoted him for the last four years and just re-signed The Ring’s No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter to a new promotional deal.
But the Brit believes the 26-year-old won't be fighting past 2030.
“Bam is a fierce competitor,” Hearn said on DAZN. “He doesn't want to be around for five or six years. He wants the biggest fights as soon as possible. Before [30 years old, he could retire]. I think even potentially before that.
“He wants belts, undoubtedly, but he wants the biggest fights ASAP, and we should be celebrating that.”
For now, calling it quits is nowhere to be found on the calendar with Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) as he makes his 118-pound debut Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, against WBA bantamweight titleholder Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs).
If Rodriguez gets past Vargas, he plans to leverage the stage to challenge Naoya Inoue, the undisputed junior featherweight champion and the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
“Bam is like, ‘Don't wait, make it.' He's ready to go from Vargas into Inoue,” Hearn said. “We are ready. But listen, Vargas has got a lot to say. It's a massive crowd coming to Arizona on June 13, and that's a big moment for him. If he wins, he'll be calling out Inoue. We're ready to make it happen.
“Outside of Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury, I think Rodriguez-Inoue is the biggest fight in boxing. I think it's the best fight in boxing in terms of the ability, the prime of both men. It is a massive fight.”
Rodriguez holds The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 115-pound crowns, but he’s maintained that his days at junior bantamweight are done.
“Bam has a very tough fight against Vargas to try and become a three-division champion,” Hearn said. “That's a great move toward 122, and it is a big step up. I think 118 is going to be perfect for his body right now, and then 122 is another leap.
“I think this is the first time I've seen Bam actively calling the Inoue fight out ... And that is a real statement of intent in terms of what he wants from his career.”
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Vargas fights to honor mother’s memory vs. 'Bam' Rodriguez
Fighting was in Antonio Vargas’ blood long before he put on boxing gloves.
His mother, Annette Vargas, fought and did whatever she could to provide for him and his two sisters.
Now, he’s fighting to honor her memory.
Vargas will defend his WBA bantamweight title against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on DAZN. It’ll mark his first fight since his mother died at 46 from uterine cancer eight months ago.
“It’s definitely something special,” Vargas told The Ring. “I dedicate it to my mother. I’m going to dedicate it to Christ, but one thing I pray, I’m like, ‘Lord, help me to honor my mother and honor Christ in all of my fights.’ This fight will be a little more special.”
Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) has two younger sisters. Of Annette’s three children, he is the only one who has her last name.
For as long as Vargas can remember, he always had his mother’s love and support.
She helped guide Vargas to becoming a 2016 U.S. Olympian and a world champion in 2025.
“She helped me to be who I am today,” he said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. I do my best to train hard to honor her and keep her legacy living through me.”
One instance when he needed her love and support the most was after the lone defeat of his career, a first-round knockout to Jose Maria Cardenas in 2019. The loss caused him to spiral and contemplate quitting boxing.
Ultimately, his faith and opening up to his mother helped pull him out of a dark place.
“It was definitely comforting knowing that I could talk to her and express myself and get the love and support that you’ll never find nowhere else besides the love of your mother," he said.
Rediscovering his love for boxing wasn’t the only battle Vargas fought in 2020. Later that year, Annette was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer.
Annette did anything she could to provide for her kids when they were younger, which included taking Lynx buses, riding her bike to work, or using food stamps. Vargas did whatever he could to help her.
“I had a lot of faith,” Vargas said. “I thought the Lord was going to heal my mom. I would go days without eating. I would fast. The Bible talks about fasting. ... I would cry to the Lord, just like, ‘Lord, I give you a sacrifice.’ I’d go days without eating, asking the Lord to heal my mom.”
Annette was initially given just two years to live, but she survived for five years after her diagnosis. The same fight she had to take care of her kids was directed toward battling the illness.
Vargas, 29, signed with BoxLab Promotions in 2022. With BoxLab hosting its events at Caribe Royale in Orlando, that meant his mother could make the two-hour trip from Ocala to be at his fights.
In the last fight she attended, Vargas beat Winston Guerrero by 10th-round technical knockout in December 2024 to win the WBA interim bantamweight title.
"My last couple of fights are the memories I have with her," he said.
He was later elevated to full champion after Seiya Tsutsumi’s injury relegated him to champion in recess. Vargas headed to Japan for his next fight to face Daigo Higa in July 2025, but his mother couldn’t make the trip.
“Go out there and show them who you are. God is with you,” he recalled her texting him. “Every fight, she would do that.”
Vargas and Higa exchanged knockdowns and fought to a thrilling unanimous draw.
Annette’s condition progressively got worse, and two weeks before her passing Vargas had to face reality.
He received a phone call from his father, Jose Esteves. He told him his mother had to go to a hospice because her mind began to leave her, and she was losing her ability to walk. Vargas went to Ocala and stayed at a hotel near her for a week while preparing to face Tsutsumi.
“I thought she had another year left. I did,” Vargas said. “She was able to talk, but you could tell she was in and out. The next week after that, she couldn’t talk at all. She could just nod yes or no.”
During her last week, Vargas’ father asked if she wanted to keep fighting. Through all of the pain and medication, Annette nodded yes.
“I've never seen that in my life,” Vargas said. “Being paralyzed and still having that will to fight and to want to live. I just remember that I’m like, ‘Wow, Lord, I believe that’s where I get it from.’”
Vargas returned home after one week. His wife, Melody, told him on October 1 that his mother had died.
Three days later, Vargas went to see her one last time.
“That’s when it hit me,” he said. “Seeing her body, I waited probably for 30 minutes by her side. I’m like, ‘OK, no more pain, no more suffering.’ I know she was with the Lord. That gave me some peace and comfort, knowing that she wasn’t in pain or suffering.”
Vargas has battled a whirlwind of emotions since her passing. Grief has come in waves. Some moments he’s fine, and others he breaks down in tears because of how much he misses her.
He has also leaned on writing as a way to express himself, trying to navigate his emotions.
“I was writing a poem,” Vargas said. “I haven’t finished it yet, but the poem is called ‘My First Love,’ and the whole part of the poem is that when you come into this world, the first love you experience is the love of your mother. Even before I experienced it with my wife, when my son and daughter were born, it’s a love that you build with them before they are born.
“But as a mother, you feel them kick. You feel them do all these things. That’s my first memory I have. I remember my mom always playing with me, motherly love that you can never express, and you will never find nowhere else.”
The biggest heartbreak Vargas feels is being unable to give his mother the life he imagined. While he’s able to provide for his family and make sure they’re well taken care of, he wanted Annette to be here to experience that, too.
"I know she’s in heaven, and one of my best memories with her, I led her to Christ, and I got to baptize her," Vargas said.
“I know there’s nothing in this life that I could give her according to what God has in store for her right now. That comforts me, but as a son, I wanted to take her out, have a good life and show her the world.”
Vargas asked for his fight against Tsutsumi (13-0-3, 8 KOs) to be pushed back one month. Instead, the WBA named him its champion in recess and elevated Tsutsumi back to full champion.
Vargas was training to face Tsutsumi on April 11 in Japan, but a facial injury the Japanese champion suffered in his split-decision win over Nonito Donaire in December caused another postponement. Vargas could stay on the card against a different opponent or wait two months for Rodriguez.
Facing an opponent of Rodriguez’s caliber was too good to pass up. Vargas was elevated back to full champion before his defense against Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs), The Ring’s No. 4 fighter pound for pound.
Beating Rodriguez would be the crowning achievement of Vargas and mark one of boxing’s biggest upsets in recent years. Vargas is fighting for something more than his legacy in the squared circle, though.
“It keeps me with the fire and more than anything, I just want to honor my mother,” Vargas said. “Even though she’s not here, I’ll still honor her memory. I’m gonna train as hard as I can. One thing, my mother, she loved my wife and my children. I believe that was the main thing that kept her. That’s why she wanted to fight, because she wanted to be a part of their lives. Those were her first grandchildren. I just remember how much she loved them, and I believe they gave her that desire to fight.
“Knowing that, it makes me want to train so much harder, so I can make sure that they’re taken care of. My children will never suffer with anything. They’ll have a good life, and I always owe that to my mother. Even though she won’t be alive to see it, I'll live on her behalf to give my children what I wanted to give to my mother.”
Fighting was in Antonio Vargas’ blood long before he put on boxing gloves.
His mother, Annette Vargas, fought and did whatever she could to provide for him and his two sisters.
Now, he’s fighting to honor her memory.
Vargas will defend his WBA bantamweight title against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on DAZN. It’ll mark his first fight since his mother died at 46 from uterine cancer eight months ago.
“It’s definitely something special,” Vargas told The Ring. “I dedicate it to my mother. I’m going to dedicate it to Christ, but one thing I pray, I’m like, ‘Lord, help me to honor my mother and honor Christ in all of my fights.’ This fight will be a little more special.”
Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) has two younger sisters. Of Annette’s three children, he is the only one who has her last name.
For as long as Vargas can remember, he always had his mother’s love and support.
She helped guide Vargas to becoming a 2016 U.S. Olympian and a world champion in 2025.
“She helped me to be who I am today,” he said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. I do my best to train hard to honor her and keep her legacy living through me.”
One instance when he needed her love and support the most was after the lone defeat of his career, a first-round knockout to Jose Maria Cardenas in 2019. The loss caused him to spiral and contemplate quitting boxing.
Ultimately, his faith and opening up to his mother helped pull him out of a dark place.
“It was definitely comforting knowing that I could talk to her and express myself and get the love and support that you’ll never find nowhere else besides the love of your mother," he said.
Rediscovering his love for boxing wasn’t the only battle Vargas fought in 2020. Later that year, Annette was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer.
Annette did anything she could to provide for her kids when they were younger, which included taking Lynx buses, riding her bike to work, or using food stamps. Vargas did whatever he could to help her.
“I had a lot of faith,” Vargas said. “I thought the Lord was going to heal my mom. I would go days without eating. I would fast. The Bible talks about fasting. ... I would cry to the Lord, just like, ‘Lord, I give you a sacrifice.’ I’d go days without eating, asking the Lord to heal my mom.”
Annette was initially given just two years to live, but she survived for five years after her diagnosis. The same fight she had to take care of her kids was directed toward battling the illness.
Vargas, 29, signed with BoxLab Promotions in 2022. With BoxLab hosting its events at Caribe Royale in Orlando, that meant his mother could make the two-hour trip from Ocala to be at his fights.
In the last fight she attended, Vargas beat Winston Guerrero by 10th-round technical knockout in December 2024 to win the WBA interim bantamweight title.
"My last couple of fights are the memories I have with her," he said.
He was later elevated to full champion after Seiya Tsutsumi’s injury relegated him to champion in recess. Vargas headed to Japan for his next fight to face Daigo Higa in July 2025, but his mother couldn’t make the trip.
“Go out there and show them who you are. God is with you,” he recalled her texting him. “Every fight, she would do that.”
Vargas and Higa exchanged knockdowns and fought to a thrilling unanimous draw.
Annette’s condition progressively got worse, and two weeks before her passing Vargas had to face reality.
He received a phone call from his father, Jose Esteves. He told him his mother had to go to a hospice because her mind began to leave her, and she was losing her ability to walk. Vargas went to Ocala and stayed at a hotel near her for a week while preparing to face Tsutsumi.
“I thought she had another year left. I did,” Vargas said. “She was able to talk, but you could tell she was in and out. The next week after that, she couldn’t talk at all. She could just nod yes or no.”
During her last week, Vargas’ father asked if she wanted to keep fighting. Through all of the pain and medication, Annette nodded yes.
“I've never seen that in my life,” Vargas said. “Being paralyzed and still having that will to fight and to want to live. I just remember that I’m like, ‘Wow, Lord, I believe that’s where I get it from.’”
Vargas returned home after one week. His wife, Melody, told him on October 1 that his mother had died.
Three days later, Vargas went to see her one last time.
“That’s when it hit me,” he said. “Seeing her body, I waited probably for 30 minutes by her side. I’m like, ‘OK, no more pain, no more suffering.’ I know she was with the Lord. That gave me some peace and comfort, knowing that she wasn’t in pain or suffering.”
Vargas has battled a whirlwind of emotions since her passing. Grief has come in waves. Some moments he’s fine, and others he breaks down in tears because of how much he misses her.
He has also leaned on writing as a way to express himself, trying to navigate his emotions.
“I was writing a poem,” Vargas said. “I haven’t finished it yet, but the poem is called ‘My First Love,’ and the whole part of the poem is that when you come into this world, the first love you experience is the love of your mother. Even before I experienced it with my wife, when my son and daughter were born, it’s a love that you build with them before they are born.
“But as a mother, you feel them kick. You feel them do all these things. That’s my first memory I have. I remember my mom always playing with me, motherly love that you can never express, and you will never find nowhere else.”
The biggest heartbreak Vargas feels is being unable to give his mother the life he imagined. While he’s able to provide for his family and make sure they’re well taken care of, he wanted Annette to be here to experience that, too.
"I know she’s in heaven, and one of my best memories with her, I led her to Christ, and I got to baptize her," Vargas said.
“I know there’s nothing in this life that I could give her according to what God has in store for her right now. That comforts me, but as a son, I wanted to take her out, have a good life and show her the world.”
Vargas asked for his fight against Tsutsumi (13-0-3, 8 KOs) to be pushed back one month. Instead, the WBA named him its champion in recess and elevated Tsutsumi back to full champion.
Vargas was training to face Tsutsumi on April 11 in Japan, but a facial injury the Japanese champion suffered in his split-decision win over Nonito Donaire in December caused another postponement. Vargas could stay on the card against a different opponent or wait two months for Rodriguez.
Facing an opponent of Rodriguez’s caliber was too good to pass up. Vargas was elevated back to full champion before his defense against Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs), The Ring’s No. 4 fighter pound for pound.
Beating Rodriguez would be the crowning achievement of Vargas and mark one of boxing’s biggest upsets in recent years. Vargas is fighting for something more than his legacy in the squared circle, though.
“It keeps me with the fire and more than anything, I just want to honor my mother,” Vargas said. “Even though she’s not here, I’ll still honor her memory. I’m gonna train as hard as I can. One thing, my mother, she loved my wife and my children. I believe that was the main thing that kept her. That’s why she wanted to fight, because she wanted to be a part of their lives. Those were her first grandchildren. I just remember how much she loved them, and I believe they gave her that desire to fight.
“Knowing that, it makes me want to train so much harder, so I can make sure that they’re taken care of. My children will never suffer with anything. They’ll have a good life, and I always owe that to my mother. Even though she won’t be alive to see it, I'll live on her behalf to give my children what I wanted to give to my mother.”
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Just wanted to point out Turhan is defending her LIGHTWEIGHT title not a Flyweight belt.
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Antonio Vargas expects help from spiritual friends to pull upset against Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez
WBA bantamweight champion Antonio Vargas, 23-0 (16 KOs), says he’ll have some help when he wins this Saturday, June 13, in the 12-round main event against former unified junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and live on DAZN.
During an interview, posted to X with Manouk Akopyan from Ring Magazine, the deeply religious Vargas, who will be looking to make the second successful defense of his title against pound-for-pound entrant Rodriguez (and spoil his attempt to seek a world title in a third weight division), says perfect timing and a little help from God will help him “shock the world.”
“I'm really excited about this fight. It's one of the biggest fights in boxing right now and I’ve trained my whole life for this moment,” said Vargas. “I'm basically at the end of camp right now. I've done all that I could do, and I look forward to receiving the victory that I believe God has in store for me June 13.”
The 29-year-old Vargas, a 2016 United States Olympian, says Rodriguez making him his hand-picked opponent of choice for this potentially historic feat, and trying to use him as a launching pad to a super fight against Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, has motivated him in training.
“I was actually thinking about that yesterday,” said Vargas. “Out of all the other three champions he could have fought, he picked me… I don't know if he thinks I'm the easiest one or the hardest one, but whatever the reason is, on June 13, the world's going to be shocked. I look forward to doing my part and receiving what God has in store for me.”
Rodriguez, who despite his amateur and professional credentials has flown mostly under the mainstream radar of the boxing world, says this will be a coming out party that will establish him as a top champion in the lower weight divisions.
“I’ve definitely been looking for big fights and big names like Bam Rodriguez. So, when they gave me the call, I was very excited to take the fight. This is what I need to show people who I am. And I know after this victory, it'll be one of many bigger fights to come.”
Despite being +1000 underdog, Kissimmee, Florida, via Houston’s Vargas says he’s spotted the winning game plan going into the fight.
“Every fighter has their weaknesses, their openings and stuff like that,” Vargas continued. “He's been dropped before too. I see a couple things, little openings that I could take advantage of during the fight. Once I get in the ring with him, I'll be able to see more of those openings, little by little, as the fight goes on.
“Landing the cleaner shots. Catching him on the exchanges… every fighter has a different rhythm, has a different timing. So, as the rounds go by, it'll be a little easier to figure out his rhythm (and) his style… He's (Rodriguez) definitely a unique fighter. He likes to shift and angle more than any other fighter. That's the main thing I've been training for, the angles and the timing and stuff like that. I think the timing and the punch placement are going to be the key thing in neutralizing him.”
Vargas also says he’ll need to put Rodriguez on the canvas to gain the upset victory.
“I do believe I have to get at least a couple knockdowns to win this fight. Either a knockout or a TKO. I have to drop him. He's going to have to hit the canvas a couple of times because I do believe if it’s a close fight, they'll give it to him. So, I'm asking the Lord Christ to help me to win this fight… whether it be a TKO victory or me dropping him a couple times. It's definitely going to have to be something like that to solidify the win… All I can tell you is that June 13, my hand will be raised up in the name of Jesus.”
WBA bantamweight champion Antonio Vargas, 23-0 (16 KOs), says he’ll have some help when he wins this Saturday, June 13, in the 12-round main event against former unified junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and live on DAZN.
During an interview, posted to X with Manouk Akopyan from Ring Magazine, the deeply religious Vargas, who will be looking to make the second successful defense of his title against pound-for-pound entrant Rodriguez (and spoil his attempt to seek a world title in a third weight division), says perfect timing and a little help from God will help him “shock the world.”
“I'm really excited about this fight. It's one of the biggest fights in boxing right now and I’ve trained my whole life for this moment,” said Vargas. “I'm basically at the end of camp right now. I've done all that I could do, and I look forward to receiving the victory that I believe God has in store for me June 13.”
The 29-year-old Vargas, a 2016 United States Olympian, says Rodriguez making him his hand-picked opponent of choice for this potentially historic feat, and trying to use him as a launching pad to a super fight against Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, has motivated him in training.
“I was actually thinking about that yesterday,” said Vargas. “Out of all the other three champions he could have fought, he picked me… I don't know if he thinks I'm the easiest one or the hardest one, but whatever the reason is, on June 13, the world's going to be shocked. I look forward to doing my part and receiving what God has in store for me.”
Rodriguez, who despite his amateur and professional credentials has flown mostly under the mainstream radar of the boxing world, says this will be a coming out party that will establish him as a top champion in the lower weight divisions.
“I’ve definitely been looking for big fights and big names like Bam Rodriguez. So, when they gave me the call, I was very excited to take the fight. This is what I need to show people who I am. And I know after this victory, it'll be one of many bigger fights to come.”
Despite being +1000 underdog, Kissimmee, Florida, via Houston’s Vargas says he’s spotted the winning game plan going into the fight.
“Every fighter has their weaknesses, their openings and stuff like that,” Vargas continued. “He's been dropped before too. I see a couple things, little openings that I could take advantage of during the fight. Once I get in the ring with him, I'll be able to see more of those openings, little by little, as the fight goes on.
“Landing the cleaner shots. Catching him on the exchanges… every fighter has a different rhythm, has a different timing. So, as the rounds go by, it'll be a little easier to figure out his rhythm (and) his style… He's (Rodriguez) definitely a unique fighter. He likes to shift and angle more than any other fighter. That's the main thing I've been training for, the angles and the timing and stuff like that. I think the timing and the punch placement are going to be the key thing in neutralizing him.”
Vargas also says he’ll need to put Rodriguez on the canvas to gain the upset victory.
“I do believe I have to get at least a couple knockdowns to win this fight. Either a knockout or a TKO. I have to drop him. He's going to have to hit the canvas a couple of times because I do believe if it’s a close fight, they'll give it to him. So, I'm asking the Lord Christ to help me to win this fight… whether it be a TKO victory or me dropping him a couple times. It's definitely going to have to be something like that to solidify the win… All I can tell you is that June 13, my hand will be raised up in the name of Jesus.”
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Rodriguez eager to show full arsenal as fights get tougher
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez may actually be better than he has ever shown in a fight.
Rodriguez, who has hammered five foes in a row for stoppage wins, hasn’t needed to unveil all of his shiny tools from the cabinet because he’s mostly drilled opponents with laser-like precision.
Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) is a 25-1 favorite to dethrone recently named WBA bantamweight titleholder Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) with ease Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. DAZN will stream his 118-pound division debut worldwide, with undercard coverage set to start at 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. BST).
“I feel that I do have a lot more I can show to the fans,” Rodriguez told The Ring. “In past fights, I haven’t had to show a hundred percent of myself. As the fights get tougher, the better I perform.
“My mentality is that I just go in there and do what I have to do. I have a more relaxed style now with all of the experience that I have picked up along the way. I’m more confident now in the ring.”
Rodriguez’s dominance and pedigree have been rewarded with pound-for-pound plaudits – he is ranked No. 4 in The Ring’s top 10. The San Antonio native confirmed that his days in the 115-pound division are done as he moves closer to an inevitable fight against 122-pound undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.
“They could have thrown any world champion at 118, and we would have said yes,” Rodriguez said. “Vargas happened to be the one that was willing to fight me. The fight presented itself, we got it done, and here we are.
“I haven’t seen much of Vargas, so I can’t speak much on the [dangers he presents as an opponent]. But I know that he’s a tough fighter with speed. I am expecting a tough fight on June 13.”
Rodriguez and Vargas aren’t complete strangers, though.
In 2016, while Vargas was preparing for an Olympic run with the United States team, they sparred with each other for a few rounds. But Rodriguez doesn’t recall much from the decade-ago dance.
“I remember he was quick, but that’s about it,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez last fought November 22, when he knocked out Fernando Martinez in the 10th round to win the WBA 115-pound title as part of “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” show at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rodriguez, 26, entered that bout as Ring, WBC and WBO champ.
Dealing with dad duties and witnessing the birth of his second child on FaceTime days before his fight in Riyadh proved to be a more laborious task than delivering the win against Martinez.
“I went out there and did what I had to do, put on a great performance, and looked great doing it,” Rodriguez said. “We got the job done.”
In recent months, Rodriguez also had to navigate free agency. The dynamic southpaw has been promoted by Eddie Hearn ever since his breakout win against Carlos Cuadras in 2022, but he came close to signing with Zuffa Boxing.
“Matchroom was able to match the offer from Zuffa, and we ended up resigning with Matchroom,” Rodriguez said. “Deep down, that’s exactly what I wanted to happen, and I got what I wanted.”
Rodriguez aims to become a three-division champion by beating Vargas. The next milestone he wants to reach is becoming more of a mainstream star, similar to his pound-for-pound American brethren in Shakur Stevenson, David Benavidez and Devin Haney.
“I've gotten a lot further [to being a mainstream star] than most fighters in my weight class have,” Rodriguez said. “I need to keep doing what I am doing and knocking opponents out. With that, you gain more fans, and that’s what I look to continue doing.”
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez may actually be better than he has ever shown in a fight.
Rodriguez, who has hammered five foes in a row for stoppage wins, hasn’t needed to unveil all of his shiny tools from the cabinet because he’s mostly drilled opponents with laser-like precision.
Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) is a 25-1 favorite to dethrone recently named WBA bantamweight titleholder Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) with ease Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. DAZN will stream his 118-pound division debut worldwide, with undercard coverage set to start at 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. BST).
“I feel that I do have a lot more I can show to the fans,” Rodriguez told The Ring. “In past fights, I haven’t had to show a hundred percent of myself. As the fights get tougher, the better I perform.
“My mentality is that I just go in there and do what I have to do. I have a more relaxed style now with all of the experience that I have picked up along the way. I’m more confident now in the ring.”
Rodriguez’s dominance and pedigree have been rewarded with pound-for-pound plaudits – he is ranked No. 4 in The Ring’s top 10. The San Antonio native confirmed that his days in the 115-pound division are done as he moves closer to an inevitable fight against 122-pound undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.
“They could have thrown any world champion at 118, and we would have said yes,” Rodriguez said. “Vargas happened to be the one that was willing to fight me. The fight presented itself, we got it done, and here we are.
“I haven’t seen much of Vargas, so I can’t speak much on the [dangers he presents as an opponent]. But I know that he’s a tough fighter with speed. I am expecting a tough fight on June 13.”
Rodriguez and Vargas aren’t complete strangers, though.
In 2016, while Vargas was preparing for an Olympic run with the United States team, they sparred with each other for a few rounds. But Rodriguez doesn’t recall much from the decade-ago dance.
“I remember he was quick, but that’s about it,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez last fought November 22, when he knocked out Fernando Martinez in the 10th round to win the WBA 115-pound title as part of “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” show at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rodriguez, 26, entered that bout as Ring, WBC and WBO champ.
Dealing with dad duties and witnessing the birth of his second child on FaceTime days before his fight in Riyadh proved to be a more laborious task than delivering the win against Martinez.
“I went out there and did what I had to do, put on a great performance, and looked great doing it,” Rodriguez said. “We got the job done.”
In recent months, Rodriguez also had to navigate free agency. The dynamic southpaw has been promoted by Eddie Hearn ever since his breakout win against Carlos Cuadras in 2022, but he came close to signing with Zuffa Boxing.
“Matchroom was able to match the offer from Zuffa, and we ended up resigning with Matchroom,” Rodriguez said. “Deep down, that’s exactly what I wanted to happen, and I got what I wanted.”
Rodriguez aims to become a three-division champion by beating Vargas. The next milestone he wants to reach is becoming more of a mainstream star, similar to his pound-for-pound American brethren in Shakur Stevenson, David Benavidez and Devin Haney.
“I've gotten a lot further [to being a mainstream star] than most fighters in my weight class have,” Rodriguez said. “I need to keep doing what I am doing and knocking opponents out. With that, you gain more fans, and that’s what I look to continue doing.”
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez vs Antonio Vargas weigh-in results:
Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez - 117.6 lbs Antonio Vargas - 117.6 lbs
All set for their WBA bantamweight title fight on Saturday night, live on DAZN 
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
117
What's he gonna be on fight night
What's he gonna be on fight night
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
Judging by the weigh in, Bam clearly smaller
And he's going up to the mid 120's they say
They better pick his opponents carefuly on the way up there
Let's see how he starts off tomorrow
And he's going up to the mid 120's they say
They better pick his opponents carefuly on the way up there
Let's see how he starts off tomorrow
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
bam by brutal mid stoppage 
-
Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101096
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
-
MightyWarrior
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 13250
- Joined: 23 Jan 2003, 14:01
Re: Jesse 'BAM' Rodriguez vs. Antonio Vargas | DAZN - June 13, 2026
This should be a good fight, but Vargas seems to have a fragile chin - down something like three times, and that knockout loss wow, it’s like his lights were turned out and the strings cut. Maybe it’s just he doesn’t seem to move his head sometimes.
His team will be encouraged though, because Bam, while a superstar, doesn’t look a big hitter. And Bam will need to be careful, because Vargas looks like he carries some heavyweight power in his shots.
The way he came back from the first round knockdown against Jon Rodriguez was mightily impressive.
His team will be encouraged though, because Bam, while a superstar, doesn’t look a big hitter. And Bam will need to be careful, because Vargas looks like he carries some heavyweight power in his shots.
The way he came back from the first round knockdown against Jon Rodriguez was mightily impressive.