WBA super flyweight champion Fernando Martinez questions why WBC champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez isn’t calling him for a unification fight.
2016 Olympian Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs) believes “Bam” Rodriguez has seen through his win over Kazuto Ioka on July 7, and now he doesn’t want to fight. In other words, the 24-year-old “Bam” recognized that it would be too risky for him to fight. So, he will fight the older guys, like Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.
The fight with Fernando Martinez could potentially ruin “Bam” Rodriguez’s money-making career, as he is well outmaneuvered by him puppetEddie Hearn, one of the best in the business. Hearn created a formula that matches Bam against a line of old lions, which is well known to hardcore boxing fans who have lost their fangs and claws due to advanced age.
Bam’s recent wins
– Peter Guevara – 34 years old
– Juan Francisco Estrada – 35 years old
– Srisaket Sor Rungvasi – 37
– Carlos Cuadras – 36 years old
Fernando wants “Bam” to face them
“You saw me fight with (Kazuto) Ioka, and now you don’t talk to me anymore. Why don’t you say you want to fight me? After Ioka on December 31st, I’m ready for you. Do you want to unify or not?” he said Fernando Martinez to Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.
It would mean a lot more if Bam Rodriguez were to fight Fernando Martinez next, but given how talented the Argentine is, it’s unlikely that Hearn will make that fight.
Bam had all kinds of problems in his fight against the young go-getter Israel Gonzalez on September 17, 2022. He won a tough 12-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas. This fight took a lot out of Bam, and he was lucky to come through undefeated.
Since then, Hearn has matched “Bam” Rodriguez against Cristian Gonzalez, Sunny Edwards, Estrada and Guevera. Those fighters weren’t young and hungry like Israel Gonzalez.
Last Saturday, “Bam” (21-0, 14 KOs) successfully defended his WBC 115-lb title, knocking out Pedro Guevara (42-5-1, 22 KOs) in the third round at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
“Bam” Rodriguez had a massive size and youth advantage over the 35-year-old Guevara and quickly dropped him twice in the third round to get the knockout. After the fight, Rodriguez talked about wanting to fight the 37-year-old Chocolatito next.
Martinez has a rematch with Ioka
Argentina’s Fernando, 33, will fight a rematch against Kazuto Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs) on December 31 to clear up the controversy surrounding their previous fight on July 7 in Tokyo, Japan.
The scores for Martinez vs. Ioka
– 117-111
– 120-108
– 116-112
There was little doubt among fans that they deserved the win in the Martinez-Ioka fight last July, but the wide score of 120-108 mattered. Martinez will get a big payday in the rematch with Ioka, and that’s worth it. It also allows Martinez to shut down the controversy from his previous fight.
