September 16, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; Jesse Rodriguez steps on the scale to weigh in for the September 17, 2022 Matchroom Boxing card in Las Vegas, NV. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
Trainer Robert Garcia believes the undefeated Jesse Rodriguez needs more fights like his win over Israel Gonzalez last weekend to continue his development as a professional boxer.
“(It was a) great fight against a very tough Gonzalez,” Garcia, who has trained “Bam” Rodriguez since his pro debut in 2017, told The Ring on Monday morning. “(It was a great learning experience. This type of fights will prepare him for the biggest names (in the division).”
San Antonio native Jesse Rodriguez, who is ranked No. 3 by The Ring at 115 pounds, had to fend off a strong challenge from Mexico’s Israel Gonzalez on Saturday night, winning a hard-fought unanimous decision at the T- Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. , Snowfall.
The scores were 118-109, 117-110 and 114-113 for RodrÃguez (17-0, 11 KOs), who was making the second defense of his WBC junior bantamweight world title.
There is talk that Rodriguez, 22, could return to action on December 3 on the undercard of the decisive fight between Ring magazine junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada and Gonzalez. The fight was officially announced last Saturday on the DAZN PPV broadcast headlined by the clash between Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
If Rodriguez fights Dec. 3, it would be Rodriguez’s fourth fight this year. Garcia will assess what is best for Rodriguez and make a decision after speaking with Rodriguez and other team members.
“We’re going to let Jesse rest for a couple of weeks, then we’ll make a decision on his next fight,” Garcia said.
Rodriguez is the younger brother of secondary champion Joshua Franco, who may be in line to face the Estrada-Gonzalez winner early next year. Franco is ranked #5 on The Ring and is also trained by Garcia.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County, California, Star newspaper. He can be contacted by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
