Jesse Rodriguez Vs. Fernando Martinez Breakdown

“This will be one of the toughest fights of my career. I know he has great punching power, but he is not as experienced as me. I am coming from several years as a professional and I just fought with two monsters in this category, two guys who were champions for a long time. I have the experience to run him over. I will punch him a lot and close his mouth,” Martinez said

The Approach

Rodriguez’s strategy will involve maintaining distance, using subtle lateral movement and pivots to dictate the pace and prevent Martinez from fighting in close. Examples from his recent successful stoppage wins over Juan Francisco Estrada and Pedro Guevara showcase his ability to do that. “Bam” will rely on his jab to disrupt his opponent’s forward momentum, looking for sharp counters and devastating body-shots.

Martinez is high-volume pressure fighter, as he will be to cut off the ring immediately. He will use an aggressive pace—often throwing 80 to 100 punches per round—to prevent Rodriguez from finding the space needed to execute his superior boxing. Martinez, who often fights behind a strong high guard and tucked chin, is willing to take risks. His best chance lies in engaging in close quarters, where he can unleash short, accurate hooks and uppercuts to the body and head.