Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez defeated Antonio Vargas by sixth-round technical knockout on June 13 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona to win the WBA bantamweight world title [1, 2]. Fighting at bantamweight (118 pounds) for the first time, Rodriguez improved his professional record to 24-0 and became a three-division world champion, having previously held titles at flyweight and super-flyweight [1, 3, 4, 2].
Rodriguez knocked Vargas down in the fourth and fifth rounds before finishing the fight with a powerful punch in the sixth [1, 3, 4, 2]. He landed 81 of 213 punches (38%), compared to Vargas's 81 of 279 (29%) [1]. Vargas entered the fight with a 19-2-1 record and 11 knockouts and took his second career loss and first since 2019 [2, 1].
Rodriguez praised his opponent, saying, "He was a lot tougher than I thought. Even after that first knockdown, he got up and he was fighting like it never even happened. Respect to him" [3]. On his own mindset, Rodriguez said, "I'm ready for whoever, whenever. Put them in front of me, and I'm going to say yes" [1].
Rodriguez's promoter Eddie Hearn mentioned plans for future fights at bantamweight and noted a potential showdown with undefeated super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue. Hearn said, "We've got a long-term future in the sport, belts to collect at 118 pounds. But for me, that fight is inevitable. If the right offer comes... (Rodriguez) will be there. And trust me when I say he ain't getting beat" [3, 4]. Inoue holds a 33-0 record and has been the undisputed super-bantamweight champion since 2023 [3, 4].
The fight on June 13 marked Rodriguez's first appearance at bantamweight, and it set the stage for possible high-profile matchups at 118 pounds. Rodriguez will now hold the WBA bantamweight title as he continues his undefeated career.
