Estrada vs. Rodriguez

Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez: Rodriguez by KO in the 7th round.

Sunny Edwards vs. Adrian Curiel: Edwards wins by TD in the 9th round.

Arturo Cardenas vs. Danny Barrios: Cardenas wins by UD.

Yamileth Mercado (c) vs. Ramla Ali: Mercado wins by UD.

Gabriel Muratalla vs. Carlos Fontes: Muratalla wins by UD.

Fabian Rojo vs. Daniel Gonzalez: Rojo wins by TKO in the 2nd round.

Leonardo Rubalcava vs. William Flenoy: Rubalcava wins by UD.

An intriguing clash is about to unfold in the world of boxing when WBC super flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada gears up to defend his title against the unified two-belt 112-lb champion Jessie “Bam” Rodriguez at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Once revered as a formidable force in his prime, Estrada now finds himself at a point in his career where he faces criticism for not maintaining the dynamism that once made him a fierce competitor. This fight is seen more as a symbolic passing of the torch rather than a definitive battle for supremacy in the super flyweight division. The spotlight, in the meantime, has shifted towards Fernando Martinez, the IBF champion recognized as the division’s current standout.

Watch the official press conference highlights: Watch

Despite Martinez’s undeniable talent, his lower profile in comparison to the veterans makes a potential fight against him less commercially appealing than the Estrada vs. Rodriguez bout.

At the age of 33, there’s a growing consensus that Estrada's peak days may be behind him. Some critics suggest that if not for a contentious decision in his second fight against Gonzalez, Estrada's recent record would paint a much more disappointing picture. Nevertheless, the bout between Estrada and Rodriguez proceeds, marketed as a compelling showdown between an experienced champion and a promising young challenger.

Watch the weigh-in highlights on YouTube: Watch

Promoter Eddie Hearn has touted this fight as a collision between two of the planet's best fighters, a hyperbolic claim that while generating hype, seems to overlook the nuanced reality of Estrada's recent form and Rodriguez's yet-to-be-fully-proven capabilities.

In the co-main event, Sunny Edwards and Adrian Curiel battle it out in a 12-round flyweight fight.

Also on the card, Mexico’s WBC super bantamweight champion Yamileth Mercado (23-3, 5 KOs) faces Somalia-born Ramla Ali (9-1, 2 KOs) of the UK. In addition, Mexican super bantamweight Arturo Popoca (13-0-1, 8 KOs) defends his WBC Continental Americas title against Danny Barrios (15-0, 5 KOs) of Des Moines, Iowa.

Main card:

▪️Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, 12 rounds, for Estrada's lineal/WBC junior bantamweight title
▪️Sunny Edwards vs. Adrian Curiel, 12 rounds, flyweight
▪️Yamileth Mercado vs. Ramla Ali, 10 rounds, for WBC World Super Bantamweight title
▪️Arturo Cardenas vs. Danny Barrios Flores, 10 rounds, for the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title

Prelims (Starts at 7:15 pm ET):

▪️Gabriel Muratalla vs. Carlos Fontes, 8 rounds, bantamweight
▪️Fabian Rojo vs. Daniel Gonzalez, 6 rounds, welterweight
▪️Leonardo Rubalcava vs. William Flenoy, 6 rounds, super lightweight

Watch Prelims live on YouTube: Watch