Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez challenges Antonio Vargas for the WBA bantamweight title on June 13 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The contest headlines a Matchroom Boxing event live on DAZN. Ticket information has yet to be confirmed.
San Antonio’s two-division world champion Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) looks to win a title in his third weight class, having previously held belts at super flyweight and flyweight. In his previous bout last November, the 26-year-old southpaw stopped Fernando Daniel Martinez in the 10th round to unify three belts at 115 lbs.
Rodriguez’s resume also includes victories over Phumelele Cafu, Pedro Guevara, Juan Francisco Estrada, among others.
“New weight class, same goals – dominate and pick up all the belts,” Rodriguez said. “On June 13, I look forward to becoming a three-division world Champion.”
‘Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world’
Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) of Houston, Texas, steps through the ropes to defend the WBA 118-pound belt. The 29-year-old originally won the interim title in late 2024 and was expected to face then-champion Seiya Tsutsumi. The fight did not go ahead as Tsutsumi was medically unfit at the time and was declared champion in recess.
After Vargas was elevated to full champion status, he fought Daigo Higa last July, retaining the belt via majority draw. Later that year, he was declared champion in recess due to personal matters, and Tsutsumi was reinstated.
As Tsutsumi was then unable to face Vargas, their fight once again failed to materialise, and Vargas has been reinstated as champion, or “elevated once again” as per Matchroom Boxing’s announcement on Friday.
As of writing, Seiya Tsutsumi is listed as the WBA champion at 118 lbs on the organisation’s website..
“Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and that’s exactly why I took this fight,” Vargas said. “These are the moments champions live for. I respect his skill, his IQ, everything he brings to the ring. I look forward to defending my WBA world title, and I’m ready to prove that I’m one of the best fighters in my weight class.”
“I’ve worked my entire life to become a world champion, and I’m going to defend it with everything I have. I’m focused, I’m prepared, and everyone is going to see the best version of myself. But most of all I fight to glorify Jesus Christ.”
On the Rodriguez vs. Vargas undercard, Mexico’s Arturo Popoca Cardenas (17-0-2, 9 KOs) faces Jordan Martinez (16-0-1, 15 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona, in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. Cardenas puts his WBC Continental Americas title on the line.
Other matchups are expected to be announced shortly.