Francisco Rodriguez Jnr continues to fall upward.
The current flyweight contender returned to the ring in a second round knockout over countryman Jesus Faro on Saturday in Rodriguez’s hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. A series of power shots left the overmatched Faro, 17-11 (12 KOs) - a late replacement for Raul Rubio - unable to defend himself, prompting a stoppage 2:21 into the second round of their TV Azteca-aired contest above the flyweight limit.
The fight flew well under the radar – and perhaps by design.
It marked Rodriguez’s first bout since his drug testing controversy surrounding his June 21 clash with Galal Yafai in Birmingham, England. More troubling than the matchup not appearing on any notable boxing schedules was the absence of any respectable drug testing standards.
BoxingScene has confirmed that VADA was neither involved in Saturday’s fight, nor has Rodriguez, 40-6-1 (27 KOs), yet submitted to random testing, despite the terms of his WBC-assigned probation period.
Rodriguez’s bout with Yafai carried drug testing contracted through VADA, who reported an adverse finding for the banned substance Heptaminol.
The upset win saw Rodriguez initially claim the WBC interim flyweight belt, though the fight result and title change was invalidated by the sanctioning body.
It was determined in a ruling released on July 26 that Rodriguez unknowingly and unintentionally ingested the banned substance. However, the sanctioning body assigned a WBC-specific 12-month probation period, retroactive to the June 21 fight date.
Additionally, the WBC invalidated the fight result, though the official outcome can only be changed by the presiding commission – the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) in this instance.
It was also stated that Rodriguez is required to undergo a minimum of three random drug tests contracted through Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). That has yet to take place, despite Rodriguez’s ring return – worse, in the home country of the Mexico-City based WBC, who was not involved in Saturday’s contest. Rodriguez also reportedly missed weight, which led to the last minute opponent switch, though BoxingScene was unable to confirm the original contracted limit as this goes to publication.
The development comes just days after Rodriguez was advanced to the No. 1 position in the WBC flyweight rankings. He moved up by default when former two-division champ Kenshiro Teraji was removed from the top spot due to his upcoming challenge of IBF 115lbs titlist Willibaldo Garcia on December 27 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rodriguez previously resided at No. 2, a ranking he was granted after the above mentioned resolution regarding his clash with Yafai.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
