Bam Rodriguez could be Naoya Inoue’s next big opponent. But if the fight doesn’t happen anytime soon, the “Monster” is already planning his next move.
Naoya Inoue has made it clear that a potential superfight against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez will only take place on his terms. The undefeated Japanese fighter, currently the undisputed super bantamweight champion, is waiting to see if Rodriguez dares to move up to his weight class. Rodriguez, who made his bantamweight debut in June, could first fight one more bout in that division. A bout against IBF titleholder Christian “Chispa” Medina is on the table for this winter. However, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently stated that these plans could fall through if the Inoue fight becomes a reality.
Inoue himself comes across as open-minded—but by no means dependent on this matchup. “It’s not like I’m particularly attached to Bam,” he said in Japan. If Rodriguez wants to stay in the bantamweight division longer, Inoue said he’s already thinking about moving up to featherweight. A fight in February is feasible; if it happens later, he won’t have to wait for Rodriguez: “I’m going my own way.” From a sporting perspective, however, the matchup still appeals to him. Rodriguez is ranked fourth in The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings, while Inoue is ranked first. “If I fight Bam, I’ll be fired up,” Inoue said. But the message is clear: The superfight is possible—but the window of opportunity is narrowing.
Text by Robin Josten