Jesse Rodriguez expects nothing less than fireworks against Antonio Vargas for the WBA bantamweight title, as he is set to make his bantamweight debut against Vargas at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on June 13, to become a three-division titleholder.
Speaking ahead of the contest in an interview with Fight Hub TV, ‘Bam’ shared his thoughts on Vargas and the stylistic matchup between the two fighters. Rodriguez acknowledged the threat posed by the 29-year-old, particularly highlighting his resilience and aggressive approach inside the ring.
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“Vargas, he’s a very exciting fighter. He’s been dropped, but he gets up and fights back like nothing happened,” Rodriguez said. “So, I know he has a lot of heart. He applies a lot of pressure, and he’s fast as well.”
The American southpaw went on to explain why he expects the clash to deliver for fans, pointing to the contrast in styles as a key factor.
“I feel like that kind of style clashing with mine makes fireworks inevitable. I think come June 13th, it’s going to be an exciting fight for all the fans.” Rodriguez added.
Rodriguez was expected to face IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia for the undisputed super flyweight champion status. However, Garcia is scheduled to square off against Andrew Maloney on June 6 in Japan. ‘Bam’ rather than waiting for the outcome, decided to make a bantamweight debut in pursuit of becoming a three-division holder.
As for his career, the American southpaw holds a perfect record of 23-0, out of which 16 came via knockouts. He was last seen in action past November against then-WBA titleholder Fernando Martinez, where he delivered a great performance and secured a knockout victory in the 10th round.
On the other hand, Vargas has 19 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw in his career. He just fought once last year, facing Daigo Higa at Yokohama Buntai in a 12-round back-and-forth fight that went to the judges’ scorecard and was scored a unanimous draw.
Rodriguez eyes history against Vargas
In the above-mentioned interview, Rodriguez admitted that simply returning to action has provided fresh motivation, with a clear goal now in sight. Rodriguez made it clear that his focus is firmly set on achieving that goal when he steps into the ring in June.
“It’s exciting just to be back in the mix. Finally have a fight day, finally have something to work towards. So, for me to move up once again and try to conquer another world title in another weight division, become a three-division world champion at 26 years old would be a huge accomplishment. That’s my main goal right now. And June 13, I’m going to make sure I accomplish that.”
For Rodriguez, the stakes extend beyond just another victory. Securing the WBA title would not only make him a three-division world champion but also strengthen his position in the broader pound-for-pound conversation.
With momentum building ahead of the contest, all eyes will be on Glendale on June 13 to see whether Rodriguez can deliver on his promise and take another significant step in his career.
