Naoya Inoue has assessed whether the power and skillset of Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez would make for a worthy challenge at 122lbs.
The two lower-division stars have expressed no shortage of interest in fighting one another, almost to the point that their mouth-watering showdown seems inevitable.
Or at least, according to coach Robert Garcia, a clash with Inoue can certainly happen so long as Rodriguez is given the chance to enter one more outing at 118lbs.
The American made his bantamweight debut in June, dethroning Antonio Vargas with a sixth-round finish to claim the WBA title and become a three-division world champion.
But while it was, for the most part, a mightily impressive performance, many made the observation that Bam seemed slightly undersized at the new weight.
Inoue, too, has told Ring Magazine that he noticed such physical disadvantages against Vargas, but nonetheless believes that Rodriguez’s eye for a knockout, rather than the power itself, is what makes him a worthy challenger to his undisputed super-bantamweight crown.
“I did get the impression that, physically, things weren’t quite the same for him as they had been before. But he still managed to finish the fight with a knockout.
“His strength isn’t really about physical power. He has the ability to punch through you with pinpoint accuracy. For example, even if I were fighting at super-featherweight or lightweight, I think I’d still be able to hurt an opponent with a punch they didn’t see coming. I think it’s the same with Bam.
“If he had tried to rely on physical strength in that fight, I don’t think he would have produced that kind of knockout. I saw that ability in him to land punches from blind spots and take advantage of openings.”
Having not fought since his unanimous decision victory over Junto Nakatani in May, Inoue plans to return early next year, either to defend his belts against Bam or move up to featherweight.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, is likely to enter a unification match with WBO champion Christian Medina later this year, before hopefully facing the Japanese ‘Monster’ in 2027.
