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Eddie Hearn Maps Out Inoue-Rodriguez Timeline — But One Fighter Could Ruin It

Eddie Hearn gives his take on how Inoue vs Rodriguez could come together.
Terrance Biggs|
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

While heavyweight might draw the most attention in modern boxing, the smaller weights, due to their sheer number of fighters and weight classes, dominate the sport.

One of boxing's biggest conversations is the eternal argument over pound-for-pound rankings. In what seems like a consensus, unified super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue comes to mind, and with a spotless record (33-0, 27 KO), Inoue sits high on the pound-for-pound list.

When elite boxers clean out a division or want to cash a large paycheck, the need to fight each other becomes unavoidable. Throughout Asia, Inoue is the center of the boxing universe. However, Eddie Hearn believes any fight is possible, and he has a specific opponent in mind for Inoue.

Jesse Rodriguez
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

2026 has been an intriguing year for the sport. Now, Hearn wants to cap the year with a potential classic. Super flyweight champion Jesse " Bam" Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KO) is his choice for the winter megafight.

Hearn on Inoue vs Rodriguez

“Yeah, I think they’re talking about December or January for that fight," Hearn said on DAZN. "Bam would have six months to wait. It wouldn’t be a problem. Bam loves Japan; he loves it. He goes there on holiday. He doesn't care where the fight is. Make the fight. It’ll be a tough challenge first, but if he comes through that, Bam vs. Inoue, why wait?"

In his quote, Hearn mentioned Japan as the likely destination, which is something he's said before. That opens the door to the Tokyo Dome housing the bout in front of 42,000 fans. He will need to craft a slate around the two, assembling an undercard worthy of the main event, which Hearn openly admitted could be an obstacle and a speed bump on the road to Tokyo.

On June 13, Rodriguez will jump up in weight to face WBA champion Antonio Vargas in Glendale, Ariz. Vargas (19-1-1-1, 11 KO) will enter the fight with a height and reach advantage. Under those circumstances, Rodriguez could be in for a tougher fight than many expect.

Hearn doesn't mince words, as he believes the potential of an Inoue-Rodriguez fight could be historical. At the same time, he warns against taking Vargas for granted.

"But the world is awaiting it. Probably outside of Fury-AJ, probably the biggest fight out there. Really, with Usyk coming towards the end, it’s going to be pound-for-pound No. 1 against pound-for-pound No. 2. If Bam comes through in Phoenix, he just wants the biggest fights. He doesn’t want to be around for five or six years; he wants to fight everybody now, and now is the time, if he comes through Vargas, for Bam against Inoue. What a fight. The biggest in the lower classes for many, many decades. But Vargas awaits."

Before Inoue and Rodriguez commit pen to paper on a contract, Vargas can slide into the conversation by defeating Rodriguez and delaying the fight.

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Terrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards. Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.