Jesse Marches On: ‘Bam’ Rodriguez dominates and stops Sor Rungvisai in eight

WBC super-flyweight belt-holder Jesse Rodriguez continues his campaign to be named ‘Fighter of the Year’ with a amazing performance in opposition to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai

Usually the big difference amongst a very very good fighter and a upcoming celebrity can be observed in the method in which they lower by the level of competition en route to the leading.

In the situation of Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, this certainly rings legitimate, with the WBC super-flyweight belt-holder rapid creating a knack for not only beating very superior fighters on his way up but beating them in means they have never been overwhelmed before.

Very first, the gifted Texan breezed previous Carlos Cuadras in February (dropping him in the 3rd spherical), and then tonight (June 25) in San Antonio he managed to successfully overwhelm and quit Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in eight, as a result retaining his belt.

Pretty the year, whilst the breakout acquire from Cuadras heralded Rodriguez’s arrival as the youngest belt-holder in the activity (which possibly signify a lot more than the title by itself), tonight’s acquire did one thing even larger for Rodriguez’s occupation: it justified the hoopla. Beating Sor Rungvisai the way he did, the 22-12 months-outdated proved that he belongs at this amount and confirmed, moreover, the kind of dominance that could possibly recommend others about him will locate it challenging to knock him out of his stride at any time soon.

Indeed, such is Rodriguez’s ferocity and starvation to end fights towards environment-class opposition, just one can’t aid but recall the increase of someone like Manny Pacquiao, who exploded with equivalent ruthlessness just about 20 decades back, and become excited at the prospect of a new superstar in the decrease pounds lessons.

Definitely, the indicators are so much promising. Towards Sor Rungvisai, a man 13 decades his senior, ‘Bam’ exhibited a poise and composure belying his age and appeared in complete control from 1st bell to the complete. Constantly on the transfer, usually altering angles, he operated at the rear of a snappy southpaw jab and was brief to make a statue of his slower opponent, nailing him with a big left cross in round just one and by no means seeming likely to shed his grip on the fight at any minute.

By the seventh, in actuality, Rodriguez was gunning for the stoppage, 1st teeing off on Sor Rungvisai early in the spherical, then dropping him with a beautifully-picked still left hook. The shot, thrown as Rodriguez cleverly switched angles on the inside of, carried enough force to spin Sor Rungvisai all over and have him contact down and, while he complained, the breakthrough experienced been created.

There were being two minutes remaining in the seventh at that phase, plenty of to near the display, yet Sor Rungvisai, 50-6-1 (43), battled back admirably. It continue to appeared only a make a difference of time, nevertheless, before the end Rodriguez craved was at final secured.

This, in the stop, came in the upcoming spherical, when Rodriguez knocked again Sor Rungvisai’s head with a lengthy still left hand before taking pictures an uppercut through his guard and landing a stick to-up cross, its influence right away evident. Riding the momentum of this salvo, Rodriguez continued to stalk and attack Sor Rungvisai, now penetrating his guard with relieve, and, absolutely sure adequate, it was not prolonged right before a cluster of difficult pictures to the head and human body experienced the Thai slumped towards the ropes, completely ready to be saved.

It was then, with just one moment and 11 seconds remaining in the spherical, that referee Mark Calo-oy moved in to cease the combat, leaving Rodriguez, now 16- (11), to collapse to the canvas in a screen of unbridled joy.  

“My abilities proved a point tonight,” reported the winner in the rapid aftermath. “My crew know what I am able of and what I carry to the table. That is why we took the combat.

“I felt I began to break him down after three rounds. The electrical power wasn’t there from him. I understood I couldn’t stand there but we arrived in and place on a show. I was making use of my angles far more. Robert (Garcia, trainer) saved telling me to do that and I listened.

“The Cuadras battle gave me encounter and put me right here, combating at house in San Antonio. I will do what ever Robert states. I am a exclusive fighter not an average fighter and I am in this article to keep.”

No one is aware what Jesse Rodriguez will ultimately go on to realize in the activity, nor, for that subject, what form of fighter he will inevitably grow to be. But what we do know currently, with him just 22 a long time of age and 16- (11), is that he is no average fighter and that, yes, it is most probable, barring nearly anything unforeseen, he is quite a great deal below to keep.