Bam Rodriguez Closing In On Big Fight, Reveals Top 3 Pound-For-Pound Fighters

Bam Jesse Rodriguez is set to face Fernando Martinez of Argentina in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on a stacked Riyadh Season card. Martinez tried to intimidate Rodriguez at the final press conference, but the Texan was having none of the theatrics and kept his focus squarely on fight night.

In the build-up to this matchup, fans have debated whether Bam Rodriguez will eventually face Naoya Inoue in the ring — a fight many consider the biggest possible bout in the lighter weight classes.

In naming his top three pound-for-pound fighters in an interview with KO on SI, Rodriguez didn’t include himself. Instead, he listed undisputed 168-lb champion Terence Crawford, former undisputed and current unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, and Inoue as the three best fighters in the sport today.

Inoue deserves his place on any pound-for-pound list. He has sliced and diced nearly every opponent he has faced, with the notable exception of his 2019 classic against Nonito Donaire — a brutal masterwork in which Inoue fought through a broken orbital bone to defeat the legendary Filipino.

Riyadh Win Will Lock In Big Fight

By competing in Riyadh, Rodriguez is closer to the fights fans want to see in more ways than one. Geographically, he is now on the same continent as both Inoue and Junto Nakatani. More importantly, he has shown the willingness to travel.

While it’s understandable he might not want to face either man in Japan, his trip to Riyadh Season suggests the Saudi capital could emerge as neutral ground for a future super-fight. He told your author he would fight either man and was initially slated to face Mr. Nakatani on this card.

Juan Francisco Estrada stumbles and falls after a hit from Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez during the Matchroom Boxing Main Event at the Footprint Center on June 29, 2024, in Phoenix. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bam Has Accomplished A Lot

Both Inoue and Nakatani represent the biggest challenges — and perhaps the biggest payday — in boxing’s lower divisions. With another dangerous opponent in front of him, it’s important to recall what Rodriguez has already accomplished: wins over Juan Francisco Estrada, Sunny Edwards, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and Carlos Cuadras since 2022.

Fight fans sometimes forget he is just twenty-five years old and has already achieved far more than most fighters do in an entire career. A win against Martinez will help set the stage for the mega-fights against Japan’s feared sluggers that every serious boxing fan wants to see.

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