Eddie Hearn reveals Naoya Inoue demands regarding Bam Rodriguez showdown

CARSON, California – Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez is facing a now-or-never decision over a megafight with Naoya Inoue, with promoter Eddie Hearn reporting active negotiations for a late-winter showdown in Japan.

Rodriguez, 24-0 (17 KOs), the unbeaten three-division champion, and his back-to-back trainer of the year Robert Garcia are mulling ditching plans for a year-end bantamweight-title unification and leaping right to unbeaten four-division and undisputed junior featherweight champion Inoue after just one title fight at 118lbs.

Hearn, who has met with broadcasters and Inoue's team this week, said the Japanese superstar has made his position clear.

"We are actively negotiating … Inoue is not being rude, but he's effectively saying, 'I'm going to fight in February or March – I'm going to fight 'Bam' or I'm going to fight at featherweight, and if I move to featherweight, we all know the fight will never happen,'" Hearn said Thursday following the Diego Pacheco-Darius Fulghum news conference at Dignity Health Sports Park.

"So Robert and 'Bam' have a decision to make – if they want to take that fight now or in the future, which it probably won't. I think 'Bam' really wants the fight, but there's still a lot of conversations to be had."

Hearn wants Inoue-Rodriguez to be next, calling it "one of the best fights in boxing with two top-five pound-for-pound fighters, which is so unique, with 'Bam' in his absolute prime right now."

Now or never for Inoue-Rodriguez

For Hearn, the opportunity is simply too good to risk losing.

"You announce that fight, the entire boxing world says, 'That's one of the best fights you can ever make,'" Hearn said. "You will see the best of both guys if they take that fight."

Garcia has wanted Rodriguez to take another bantamweight bout against Mexico's WBO champion Christian Medina, but time is ticking.

"One-twenty-two was never expected for 'Bam,' he's not going to be a big 122-pounder, but he moved to super-fly from light-fly, and now he's at bantam … he will go to 122, but he just has to decide if he wants to do it now," Hearn said. "I feel 'Bam' doesn't want to be fighting in five years.

"He wants to get in, take the biggest fights, and …"

The concern is that Rodriguez could spend the rest of his career wondering what might have happened had he taken the opportunity to face Inoue.

"The hard thing is, if you don't take it now, it's highly unlikely it's ever going to happen," Hearn said.