By: Sean Crose
The fight for the WBC junior bantamweight title took place in Phoenix on Saturday night with defending champion Juan Francisco Estrada taking on undefeated challenger Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. This highly anticipated match was scheduled for 12 rounds and the crowd was eager with anticipation from the beginning. Both fighters started cautiously, carefully assessing each other. As the fight progressed, Rodriguez landed some strong punches on the champion, while Estrada also landed some effective counter punches.
Estrada found his momentum in the second round and landed some clean punches on Rodriguez. In the third round, Rodriguez delivered a powerful right hook that shook Estrada. He continued to assert his dominance with his left-handed jab and footwork, ultimately sending the champion down with a straight left in the fourth round.
Although in trouble, Estrada came out swinging in the fifth round. Despite his efforts, Rodriguez managed to stagger him several times, casting doubt on Estrada’s endurance. The sixth round saw a surprising twist as Rodriguez was knocked down, displaying the see-saw nature of the fight.
The action-packed seventh round continued the intense pace of the previous rounds, with Rodriguez ultimately securing the win by landing a devastating blow to Estrada’s liver, resulting in a knockout. Rodriguez demonstrated his confidence by approaching Estrada even before the referee completed the count.
The fight ended swiftly and decisively, with no question about Rodriguez’s triumph.
