Rodriguez vs Estrada Feature: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez ‘In Focus’

Bam Fulfilling Early Potential With Impressive Title Run

Bam, short for Bambino (little child/baby), a nickname given to him by his father when he was born, is now a fully grown man who has shown he is one of the best boxers in the world at 112 and 115 pounds. After debuting as a pro at age 17 in March 2017, Bam successfully negotiated the early stages of his campaign. More often than not he would win via decision before the stoppage victories started arriving from 2019 onwards.

A run of six consecutive stoppages culminated in Bam fighting for his first world title early in 2022. It was his 15th professional outing. The Footprint Center hosted as Bam battled veteran Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC 115-pound title. An assured performance from the young Texan – Bam had just turned 22 – resulted in a unanimous points victory. Just over four months later, Bam defended the title from one veteran to another by stopping the highly experienced Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand.

Bam returned to the ring once more in 2022. He overcame the challenge of Israel Gonzalez in Las Vegas, winning by unanimous decision. Most observers had it wide for Bam as he showcased his talents on the Canelo-GGG 3 undercard. As the calendar turned to 2023, Bam moved back down to flyweight, seeking titles at 112 pounds. Christian Gonzalez Hernandez was convincingly outpointed as Bam dealt with the pressure of a hometown fight well in San Antonio in April 2023. That win secured the vacant WBO flyweight title for Bam.

Fans needed to wait until December to see Bam in action again. This time, he faced off against fellow undefeated flyweight title holder Sunny Edwards of England. Bam dominated the encounter and stopped Edwards in nine impressive rounds in Glendale, Arizona. Bam added Edwards’ IBF 112-pound title to become the unified flyweight champion. Six months after that triumph, Bam is back at super flyweight for his next challenge. Estrada is also the Ring Magazine 115-pound champion. Bam can add that prestigious title to his growing collection with a win on June 29.

What Makes Bam So Good?

It’s an understatement to say that Bam is a good boxer – that much is clear from his record and the title-winning run he is currently enjoying. Even just glancing at Bam while he is boxing, it is clear that he has all the fundamentals.

Boxing out of the southpaw stance, Rodriguez does everything well. He seamlessly moves from defense to offense and pressures his opponent with a seemingly effortless ability to cut off the ring. He keeps a tight guard and moves his head well. The way he moves his body away from danger is magnificent. Landing cleanly on Bam is extremely difficult.

With elite coach Robert Garcia in his corner, Bam really is the complete package. He throws punches to the head and body and possesses an outstanding ability to time his shots. Mixed in with all of this is a quality jab, which, combined with his excellent footwork, is the basis for everything else that follows. Looking a bit closer at his footwork, it becomes clear that Bam is constantly searching for the best angle from which to attack. This technique has led many observers to compare Bam’s offense to that of the legendary Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez. High praise indeed, but it isn’t misplaced.

Something else that stands out when watching Bam box is his speed. Whether attacking or countering, his punches are delivered with a fluidity of movement which shocks those on the receiving end. Indeed, all of Bam’s in-ring movement is done at a high tempo and just looks so perfectly natural. If all that wasn’t enough for opponents to handle, Bam is a master at utilizing the southpaw stance to dictate the action. Constantly looking to get the optimum outside position, by the time Bam starts throwing punches, it is often too late for his foe. They just have to absorb the onslaught and try to stop him repeating the dose over and over again. That is easier said than done. With Bam’s skillset, it will take a special performance from a fellow great fighter to defeat him.

One Final Thing…

While Bam’s ability is unquestionable, his team at the Garcia Boxing Academy has indeed left no stone unturned in preparing to face Estrada. If one final puzzle piece were needed to ensure Bam had all the tools to win on June 29, then it would be delivered in the form of some world-class sparring. Social media has been buzzing recently when it was revealed that the aforementioned “Chocolatito” Gonzalez has been called in to spar with Bam. As well as gaining experience from sharing the ring with Chocolatito, I’m fairly sure that Bam was picking Chocolatito’s brain about Estrada.

There is no one better placed to discuss what Estrada brings to the ring than Chocolatito, who has faced the Mexican three times. With his skills and now presumably armed with plenty of technical knowledge on Estrada, Bam is in a good place to deliver another big win on June 29. Bam will be victorious in Arizona next Saturday if he can put everything together that night.

Coming Next: Juan Francisco Estrada ‘In Focus’