LAS VEGAS – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez will huddle with his advisors to target a new opponent upon learning that his defeated rival and former super-flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada will not exercise his rematch clause.
Rodriguez trainer Robert Garcia confirmed to BoxingScene a report by ESPN.com’s Salvador Rodriguez that Mexico’s Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs) will move up to bantamweight rather than return to fight “Bam” Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs).
On June 29 in Phoenix, Rodriguez, 24, knocked out Estrada, 34, with a vicious body shot in the seventh round after previously dropping the two-division champion in the fourth round, capturing the WBC super-flyweight belt.
Garcia said he’s expected to meet Friday with Rodriguez promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom’s Frank Smith to discuss possible opponents.
One of the intriguing options whom Hearn has previously expressed interest in is former four-division champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (52-4, 42 KOs), the top-ranked WBC contender who sparred multiple times with “Bam” Rodriguez as he prepared for Estrada.
Hearn has said Gonzalez’s Japan-based promoter, Teiken, does not want Gonzalez and Estrada to fight because it promotes both fighters.
The WBC interim champion is Pedro Guevara (42-4-1, 22 KOs), who defeated Andrew Moloney by split decision in May.
Rodriguez previously trekked to Japan a week after his victory over Estrada to scout the WBA/IBF unification bout won by Fernando Martinez over Kazuto Ioka, which Martinez won by unanimous decision.
Martinez and Ioka will stage a New Year’s Eve rematch in Japan.
WBO 115-pound champion Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) defends his belt Oct. 14 against Phumelele Cafu (10-0-3, 8 KOs) during a two-day festival of seven world title fights in Tokyo.
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