WBO flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and 112-pound IBF titlist Sunny Edwards have signed a contract to face each other in a title unification bout later this year, Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn announced Thursday.

A date and venue have not been determined yet, but the bout will take place in the winter on DAZN, adding yet another intriguing bout to the boxing calendar. 

“Thank you Eddie, Matchroom Boxing, and DAZN for believing in the event and working hard to get it over the line,” Edwards said on social media. “This means more to me than you could know. Looking forward to flying the Great Britain flag in one of the biggest fights in flyweight history.”

“Really pleased with this one! One of the best fights in boxing – respect to both!” said Hearn. 

Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) and Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) have been on a collision course for a clash ever since Rodriguez started campaigning at 112 pounds.

Following a three-fight run at 115 pounds, “Bam” Rodriguez stepped down to 112 pounds in April and scored a unanimous decision win against Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez to win the vacant WBO title. Rodriguez suffered a fractured jaw in the fight that required surgery. 

The 23-year-old Rodriguez had a banner year in 2022 as a super flyweight with wins against Carlos Cuadras, Wisaksil Wangek, and Israel Gonzalez. The San Antonio-raised Rodriguez won the WBC super flyweight title with his win against Cuadras and defended the title twice. 

The 27-year-old Edwards has been the IBF titleholder since 2019 and has defended his crown against the likes of Moruti Mthalane, Jayson Mama, and Felix Alvarado along the way. Earlier this month, Edwards scored a unanimous decision win against Andres Campos. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.