Ring Ratings Update: Bam Rodriguez jumps to No. 5 in P4P ratings, wins first Ring Championship

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez cemented his claim as America’s top young fighter with an impressive seventh-round knockout of Juan Francisco Estrada Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona.

Despite a sudden blow in Round 6 and bad cards from two official judges (Robert Tapper, who had the fight even after six rounds, and Javier Camacho, who had Estrada up by one point), Rodriguez won the fight and entered. the kind of play that had the excitement of boxing fans for days on social media.

Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) has defeated other decorated 115-pounders but Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs) enters their contest as the reigning Ring Magazine champion and winner of two historic 12-round fights with his fellow hall-of-famer coming. singer Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez in 2021 and 2022. This was special.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez smiles as Juan Francisco Estrada is counted out at the end of the seventh round of their Ring Magazine 115-pound championship fight at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Amanda Westcott/Matchroom Boxing.

With the Estrada win, Rodriguez has now defeated three of the sub-bantamweight Fab Four who participated in the elite round robin that began with Gonzalez-Estrada I back in 2012. then he installed Srisaket Sor Rungvisai four months later.

However, the southpaw specialist has not only made a name for himself among veterans. In December, he was unbeaten Sunny Edwards unifying the world’s two major flyweight titles.

No other Gen-Z American has the 24-year-old Texan’s resume, which has prompted many experts and fans to say that Bam deserves a “pound-for-pound top five.”

The Ring Ratings Panel was in favor of the community.

Anson Wainwright proposed a two-point rise in the pound-for-pound rate, from No. 9 to No. 7, but other panel members wanted a bigger jump.

“I could see Bam now rising as No. 5, pound for pound,” he said Tris Dixon.

Adam Abramowitz again your favorite Senior Editor he immediately agreed.

“I would say Bam at No. 5,” he added Abraham Gonzalez. “What a way to make both men. Bam is doing P4P against the future farmer’s hall. “

Added Michael Montero: “I agree with moving Bam to No. 5, just before that [Artur] Beterbiev again [Dmitry] Bivol, but things will change when the two Russians go head-to-head later this year. “

Added Wasim Mather: “Bam in No. 5 for me. He continues to get better with every fight against the best in his division and dominates.”

Added Tom Gray: “Bam up to No. 5. The kid is special and coming out of the pack to win by KO in the next round made that performance even better. Inoue made a similar statement last week, but Bam did it against the Mexican boxing legend. Breathtaking stuff!”

Added Daisuke Sugiura: “I also like Bam who is No. 5, too. It’s refreshing to see these little guys always want to face each other without a lot of silly dialogue, they usually put up a good fight, and I like that our P4P level rewards this.

However, Diego Morilla agreed with Wainwright’s original proposal for Rodriguez’s 7th level.

“I’m not sure I can reward him for beating the guy he should have beaten, especially after he was groomed by a 10-year-old who has been sober for a year,” he said. Morilla. “I want to go higher in P4P but I feel there is nothing wrong with letting him earn his stripes, and the jump from No. 9 to No. 5 seems too much for him at the moment. Just a thought, obviously, as I know the votes are in. I love Bam as much as the next guy, obviously. I hope he will make us proud and go up from now on.”

Morilla’s take gave Montero keep quiet.

“Diego makes a good point about P4P,” he said. “Perhaps we are all caught up in the moment a little bit. “Maybe Bam should move to No. 7, just behind Beterbiev and Bivol.”

Gray he disagreed with the low ranking of the unified flyweight belt holder and the Ring junior bantamweight champion.

“Hey Diego, you’re the only one on Fight Picks who told Estrada to win,” it said Gray.

“I could have focused more on the knockdown part but I could have focused more on the reaction. Bam got up, smiled, and broke Estrada in half with a body shot in the next round.

“Knockdowns happen in battle, especially when you’re up against a cunning and brainy opponent like Estrada. And while Estrada may have gone above and beyond, very few fans and experts expected that kind of performance from Bam. Most of us have stopped late or late.”

Answer it Morilla: “I was, yes. And it wasn’t so much a choice as it was a warning shot, I believe. And in that, I was right. You can go for the bright young guy all you want, but the minute you look down on an old warrior like Estrada you get punched in the nose and sent down your ass. I was happy to see Bam’s immediate reaction, which tells us a lot about his personality. What I’m trying to avoid here is something that we have done (collectively, not only in the Panel but in boxing in general) in the past, which is to anoint a new high priest of boxing immediately and then find ways to bring him in. down from the bottom where more eligible guys start making real achievements (see “Spence, Errol”). Jumping from No. 9 to No. 7 is more than fair to me, and if he beats the Ioka-Martinez winner as decisively as he did against Estrada, I’ll be the first to suggest he’s one of the top five fighters. in the world.”

Morilla you have a point, but i The EIC have the last word in the conversation.

“I’m happy that Bam is rated above Bivol and Beterbiev. I think it’s his resume at least slowly he is the better of both light heavyweights and proved himself to be the best flyweight and now the best at 115 pounds (and our champion). Bivol and Beterbiev still have to decide who is the best at 175.”

RING RATINGS UPDATE (as of June 29):

POUND FOR POUND – Rodriguez moves to No. 5.

SUPER Middleweight – Lester Martinez enters at No. 10 following a ten-round decision over Carlos Gongora.

Middleweight – Felix Cash comes out after discarding a five-minute technical decision to Tyler Dennycoming in with No.

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT – Teofimo Lopez remains champion after defending the Ring Magazine and WBO titles by unanimous decision over the toughness and determination of Steve Claggett.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT – Lamont Roach remains at No. 4 after a good hard reign over Feargal McCrory en route to an eighth-round TKO.

“Roach has retained his WBO title,” it said Wainwright. “Strong performance but limited resistance, no movement.”

FATHERWEIGHT – Rafael Espinoza moves to No. 5 with a stunning fourth-round stoppage of Sergio Chirino. Robey Ramirez lives at No. 8 after stopping Brandon Benitez in seven rounds.

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT – Rodriguez is the new champion. Estrada drops to No. 1.

“Estrada showed heart and had some moments, especially knockdowns, but Bam Rodriguez was amazing – that body image!” noted Wainwright. “Rodriguez will be the champion and Estrada will go down to number 1, but who will end up winning next week in between [Kazuto] I’m sorry again [Fernando] Martinez you will see him leave the place.”

FLYWEIGHT – Rodriguez and Julio Cesar Martinezwho was banned for nine months following a PED test, is out. Sunny Edwardswho earned a ninth-round technical decision over the former 108-pound champion Adrian Curiel in a feature shared by Estrada-Rodriguez, advancing to No. 1. Galal Yafai (7-0, 5 KOs) and Dave Apolinario (20-0, 14 KOs) enters at No. 9 and No. 10.

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT – Curiel stays at Number 3.