INSIDE THE RING: “Bam” Rodriguez becomes San Antonio’s newest world champion boxer

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – There were a lot of questions on how the young Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez would do Saturday night as he moved up in weight to take on a veteran boxer with less than a week’s notice. Rodriguez had been in camp preparing for another fight on the DAZN undercard.

But those questions were answered quickly as Rodriguez fought Carlos Cuadras for the WBC World Super Flyweight title in Phoenix, Arizona, Rodriguez’s first ever chance to win a world title.

If Rodriguez was nervous in the first round, he never showed it. He stepped on the gas and never led up, even as he fought passed the eighth round, something he has never done in his career.

“Bam” was active from the start but really became the aggressor in the third round, highlighted by a right uppercut he landed on Cuadras as he turned and sent Cuadras down on the canvas.

From there, Rodriguez landed multiple clean shots to the head of Cuadras while Cuadras seemed to constantly go to the body with his shots, something that didn’t seem to bother the younger fighter.

Cuadras started to put together a better attack in the fifth round, getting more active, pressing the attack and winning a few rounds.

Rodriguez continued to land the cleaner shots, even as he seemed to slow his attack in the later rounds. Even as Rodriguez looked to be more cautious, perhaps sensing the upcoming victory, he pressed his offense all the way through the twelfth and final round.

Rodriguez won by unanimous decision 117-110, 117-110 and 115-112 to become San Antonio’s newest world champion boxer and the youngest current world champion in boxing at 22-years-old.

Rodriguez, the younger brother of world champion boxer Joshua Franco, landed 258 of his 688 punches thrown, landing 38% of his punches. Cuadras landed 172 of his 944 of his punches thrown, landing 18% of his punches.

Rodriguez is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts and his knockout streak ends at six fights.

Daniel P. Villanueva has worked with KSAT 12 for over 18 years and is an award-winning producer. To submit story ideas, email dvillanueva@ksat.com