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By Cliff Rold - The winner of the BoxingScene and ESPN 2014 Fight of the Year didn’t end his year with a victory in the ring.
He didn’t lose either.
One fight after defeating Katsunari Takayama to become only the third fighter to unify a portion of the 105 lb. title, Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (16-2-1, 11 KO) held serve.
He’ll want to do more than that this Saturday (UniMas, 12 AM EST/11 PM PST).
Only 21 years old, Rodriguez has already shown himself to be a thriller. The war with Takayama was breathless stuff. His first major belt win, over Merlito Sabillo, was a breakthrough knockout. His toughness was already proven in a lopsided loss to Roman Gonzalez where he finished on his feet, taking a steady beating but not in imminent trouble.
What he has to do now is show himself to be more than a guy who was able to shrink down temporarily to boxing’s smallest division for belted success.
His last fight gave reasons to wonder. Matched in a stay busy Flyweight fight with Jomar Fajardo (14-5-2, 7 KO) on the road in the Philippines, Rodriguez escaped with a ten-round draw. It probably should have been a win.
Rodriguez let it be closer than it should have been. It was enough to get Fajardo a rematch. This time, Rodriguez has home turf and a chance to correct a verdict.
The first fight had the look of a set-up for something bigger. In the pre-fight build, Rodriguez called out WBO 108 lb. titlist Donnie Nietes. He was in Nietes’ backyard. Rodriguez still held the WBO and IBF belts one class lower. [Click Here To Read More]
He didn’t lose either.
One fight after defeating Katsunari Takayama to become only the third fighter to unify a portion of the 105 lb. title, Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (16-2-1, 11 KO) held serve.
He’ll want to do more than that this Saturday (UniMas, 12 AM EST/11 PM PST).
Only 21 years old, Rodriguez has already shown himself to be a thriller. The war with Takayama was breathless stuff. His first major belt win, over Merlito Sabillo, was a breakthrough knockout. His toughness was already proven in a lopsided loss to Roman Gonzalez where he finished on his feet, taking a steady beating but not in imminent trouble.
What he has to do now is show himself to be more than a guy who was able to shrink down temporarily to boxing’s smallest division for belted success.
His last fight gave reasons to wonder. Matched in a stay busy Flyweight fight with Jomar Fajardo (14-5-2, 7 KO) on the road in the Philippines, Rodriguez escaped with a ten-round draw. It probably should have been a win.
Rodriguez let it be closer than it should have been. It was enough to get Fajardo a rematch. This time, Rodriguez has home turf and a chance to correct a verdict.
The first fight had the look of a set-up for something bigger. In the pre-fight build, Rodriguez called out WBO 108 lb. titlist Donnie Nietes. He was in Nietes’ backyard. Rodriguez still held the WBO and IBF belts one class lower. [Click Here To Read More]
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