Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has become a pound-for-pound contender in recent years, and he already has a fight set for November 22, which would see him face Fernando Martinez, possibly for three of the four major world titles at super flyweight.
But first, Rodriguez must go through Phumelela Cafu on July 19, and Cafu sounds none too happy that he’s seemingly being looked past, promising to ruin Rodriguez’s path to undisputed glory.
“Bam, I’m fucking coming for your head, bro. It all ends on the 19th,” Cafu said at a workout. “And the new unified super flyweight champion of the world! I’m ‘The Truth,’ baby, and I’m going to prove it to you all. Let’s fucking get it!”
South Africa’s Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KO) holds the WBO title, which he won from Kosei Tanaka in an upset on the road in Japan last October, nicking a split decision, and proving he can hang with the top fighters in the 115 lb division.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KO) has been off about the same amount of time, last fighting in November, when he took care of Pedro Guevara inside of three rounds, less than five months after he stopped longtime top star Juan Francisco Estrada in seven.
Rodriguez really broke through in early 2022 when he faced Carlos Cuadras and won the vacant WBO 115 lb title, after which he made two defenses, then moved down to flyweight to win the WBO and IBF titles in that division, prior to his move back up to 115 to face Estrada.
The American will be a heavy favorite against Cafu, but Cafu definitely is at the level that he cannot be truly overlooked, and if Rodriguez makes that mistake, he could find his November date with Martinez, who holds the WBA title, going to the South African instead.
