Juan Francisco Estrada vs Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez: Who Wins?

Originally posted on Fights Around The World
By Ryan O'Hara | Last updated Jun 25, 2024 6:14 PM ET

This weekend, the boxing world will witness a monumental clash for junior bantamweight supremacy. Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez clash for the WBC 115-pound strap Saturday evening at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Breakdown

The bout will be Rodriguez’s second at the home of the NBA team Phoenix Suns. He defeated Carlos Cuadras at the venue to claim the then-vacant WBC junior bantamweight title in February 2022. He followed up with consecutive title defenses over Sor Rungvisai (TKO 8) and Israel Gonzalez (UD 12) before moving back down to 112 pounds. Now, he is returning to the 115-pound weight class for a shot at a future hall of famer.

This could very well end up as a passing-of-the-torch sort of fight, but Estrada, a two-weight world champion, isn’t likely to go down without a fight. However, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the Mexican star in the ring.

Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), who turns 34 in April, will enter the ring on the heels of a career-long 18-month layoff. He last fought in a December 2022 trilogy bout against a surefire hall of famer in Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, scoring a majority decision win and his second straight win over the Nicaraguan. However, most ringside observers felt Gonzalez had won all three fights. The 37-year-old Gonzalez (51-4, 41 KOs) and Rodriguez, longtime friends, sparred each other in training camp to prepare for their respective matchups. Chocolatito returns on July 12 in a scheduled 10-round contest against Rober Barrera in Nicaragua.

Rodriguez, a 24-year-old southpaw from San Antonio, is fresh off an impressive ninth-round TKO last December over previously unbeaten world champion Sunny Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale to unify two world titles at 112 pounds. Before that fight, “Bam” overcame a broken jaw to outpoint Cristian Hernandez in San Antonio to win the vacant WBO flyweight title.

Just imagine this @210bam ring walk #EstradaBam | June 29 | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/k6WH4aDdtw

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 25, 2024

It’s a mesh of Estrada’s experience, ring IQ, and movement blended with Rodriguez’s youth, speed, nasty combinations, and desire to be great. It’s an intriguing fight on paper, but Estrada has been in many wars and is creeping closer to the shop-worn stage of his illustrious career. His age, coupled with his inactivity, gives Rodriguez—from my perspective—the edge going into their 12-round showdown. Expect Rodriguez to use his lateral movement and timing to walk Estrada into counters and his savage body attack to slow his man down.