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Boxing

Should Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez fight Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez next?

Alexander Netherton
Should Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez fight Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez next?Melina Pizano/Matchroom

Sergio Mora and Chris Mannix discussed Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s next options after his win over Wisaksil Wangek at the weekend.

The WBC super flyweight champion has already fought across several divisions and former world champion Mora believes that the 22-year-old American should consider moving back down to 112lbs in order to pick up a belt at another weight.

“I think the smart business should be to move down to 112 and pick up a title there,” he said on JABS as part of the DAZN Boxing Show

“How exciting would a fight with Julio Cesar Martinez be? Versus this king of the flyweights right here. That would be a mega fight.

“It’ll be another championship in another division. He can win championships in three, four, maybe even five divisions.  This is a 22-year-old young champion. Ambitious, bambitious, incredible.” 

Mannix suggested that the biggest fight would be to fight Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez at 115lbs and pursue other champions in the division, but Mora was adamant that a legacy would be more enduring if he moved across weights.

“I think we just saw a star-making performance from a little champion who can bring out a big crowd,” he observed. “I can see him fighting in bigger arenas, that’s how you build a champion. That’s Eddie Hearn’s job. The crowd loved it, he brings the fight, there’s a lot of names. 

“Marinade the fights, that’s how you soak out the money. Bring out the ambition from everyone, not only the fans. That’s what brings out the big fights.

“When you look back in history you look back at who you beat, who you faced, how many championships and how many divisions. He’s already a champion at 115. If he can be a multi-division champion in different championships, that’s exactly what he should do. 

“Whenever you’re dealing with such a precocious and gifted young fighter you’ve got to soak it up, suck it out and promote him. Take him all around Texas, make him a big attraction.”