2/5 DAZN: Jesse Bam Rodriguez vs Carlos Cuadras (vacant WBC Super Flyweight Title)

[patscorpio]

Jessie Vargas and Liam Smith officially have a new date and a new site for their junior middleweight match.

BoxingScene.com has learned that they will now fight February 5 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The co-feature of that show is a 115-pound rematch between Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras.

Promoter Eddie Hearn intended to stage this card January 29 at The Chelsea, a cozy venue inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Once DAZN and Matchroom determined that the date would change to February 5, the site switched from Las Vegas to the Phoenix area because Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions has reserved Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena for a FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event February 5 that’ll feature former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios in the main event.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission preferred for there not to be two boxing shows to regulate on the same night in Las Vegas for logistical reasons.

Las Vegas’ Vargas (29-3-2, 11 KOs) and Liverpool’s Smith (30-3-1, 17 KOs) will meet in a proverbial crossroads bout.

Vargas, 32, will end nearly a two-year layoff when he faces Smith. The former WBO welterweight and WBA super lightweight champion hasn’t boxed since Mikey Garcia (40-2, 30 KOs) beat him by unanimous decision in their 12-round welterweight bout in February 2020 at Ford Center at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ training facility, in Frisco, Texas.

Vargas, who recently announced his campaign for a Nevada congressional seat, will make his debut as a full-fledged junior middleweight against Smith.

The 33-year-old Smith, meanwhile, will fight for the third time in less than nine months when he squares off versus Vargas. The former WBO junior middleweight champion bounced back from a 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to Russia’s Magomed Kurbanov (22-0, 13 KOs) on May 7 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, by stopping local rival Anthony Fowler (15-2, 12 KOs) in the eighth round October 9 at Echo Arena in Liverpool.

Thailand’s Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43 KOs) and Mexico’s Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) are set to square off in a 12-round, 115-pound title fight that the WBC mandated for its world super flyweight title. Cuadras defeated Sor Rungvisai by technical decision in a fight for that same championship in May 2014 in Mexico City.

Juan Francisco Estrada is the WBC’s legitimate super flyweight champion, but he was elevated to “franchise” champion by the WBC to allow him to fight rival Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez next in a 12-round rubber match, rather than making a mandated defense versus Sor Rungvisai. The third bout between Mexico’s Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs) and Nicaragua’s Gonzalez (50-3, 41 KOs) is set for March 5 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

 

[patscorpio]

 

[patscorpio]

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras will still fight on February 5.

BoxingScene.com has learned that their super flyweight championship rematch will be the main event of DAZN’s first live boxing stream of 2022. Their 12-round fight for the WBC world 115-pound championship was supposed to be the co-feature of DAZN’s stream February 5, but Jessie Vargas withdrew last week from what was scheduled as the main event versus Liam Smith.

DAZN and Matchroom Boxing are expected to announce Monday that the Sor Rungvisai-Cuadras rematch has been elevated to main-event status for February 5. Those partners initially considered rescheduling the entire February 5 show once Las Vegas’ Vargas, a former welterweight and junior welterweight champion, informed them that he had contracted COVID-19.

Once DAZN and Matchroom decided to have Sor Rungvisai and Cuadras headline on February 5, the venue also was switched from Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, to nearby Footprint Center in Phoenix, the home arena of the NBA’s Suns.

Thailand’s Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43 KOs) and Mexico’s Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) will meet again in a bout the WBC mandated for its world super flyweight title. Cuadras beat Sor Rungvisai by technical decision in a fight for that same championship in May 2014 in Mexico City.

Juan Francisco Estrada is the WBC’s true super flyweight champion, but the WBC elevated Estrada to the status of “franchise” champion to allow his rubber match with rival Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez to take place next. Otherwise, Estrada would’ve been obligated to fight Sor Rungvisai again in his upcoming bout because the strong southpaw is the number one-ranked, mandatory challenger for Estrada’s title.

Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs) and Nicaragua’s Gonzalez (50-3, 41 KOs) will fight for the third time March 5 in another main event DAZN will stream from Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Gonzalez is the WBC’s second-rated contender for Estrada’s title. Cuadras is ranked third by the WBC in the 115-pound division.

The 12-round junior middleweight bout between Vargas (29-3-2, 11 KOs) and England’s Smith (30-3-1, 17 KOs) will be rescheduled. Its new date won’t be determined until Vargas recovers from the coronavirus.

 

[patscorpio]

undercard

A stacked card in support of the rematch is led by Light-Flyweight sensation Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez as he closes in on World title action. Rodriguez (14-0 10 KOs) dispatched Jose Burgos in style inside four rounds in his last outing in Fresno in October, and the WBA #2 and WBO #4 will look to enhance his claim for world honors against an opponent to be named soon.

There’s more World title action on the card as Jamie Mitchell makes the first defense of her WBA Bantamweight title against Carly Skelly. Mitchell (7-0-2 4 KOs) claimed the strap in October in England by seeing off Shannon Courtenay via majority decision, with the belt only on the line for the American after then-champion Courtenay failed to make the weight. After winning the belt in Liverpool, Mitchell will defend the title against a Liverpudlian fighter, as Skelly (4-0-1) fights for her first World title having picked up the WBC International Super Bantamweight title at home against Dorota Norek in October, a year after a split draw against Amy Timlin for the Commonwealth crown.

Raymond Ford defends his WBA Continental Featherweight title for the second time against Edward Vazquez. Ford (10-0-1 6 KOs) impressed in his first defense in New York in November, stopping Felix Carabello in eight rounds to retain the belt he landed in England in August via a third round KO of Reece Bellotti. Unbeaten Texan Vazquez (11-0 3 KOs) will look to end Ford’s reign in Phoenix, and the 26 year old fights for his first title in his 12th pro outing.

Matchroom’s latest Stateside signing Aaron Aponte (4-0 KOs) looks to extend his unbeaten start to life in the paid ranks against unbeaten Canadian Louis Jourdain (2-0 1 KO), Light Heavyweight talent Khalil Coe (1-0-1 1 KO) also meets Canadian opposition in the form of Stuart Twardzik (1-0-1 1 KO) and there’s a big stage for two Arizona fighters, Heavyweight Adam Stewart (12-1-1 8 KOs) and Middleweight Elijah Garcia (9-0 8 KOs).

“Srisaket and Carlos promises to be another brilliant Super-Flyweight World title battle,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Carlos got the better of Srisaket in their first fight seven years ago – and there’s no doubt in my mind that this will be a real fan-friendly war with so much at stake.

“The undercard is stacked with talent. Jesse is a World champion in waiting and is so exciting to watch, Jamie was terrific in beating Shannon in Liverpool and I know Carly will give everything to try to take the title back to England and Ray’s stock rises with every impressive win he notches. Aaron is our latest signing and one to watch, Khalil is looking to bounce back from a draw last time out and it’s a great opportunity for local guys Adam and Elijah to make an impression under the bright lights.”

 

[Derek Lee]

Bam Bam

 

[patscorpio]

14-Day Weights: Sor Rungvisai 120.3 Pounds, Cuadras 120.1

BY BOXINGSCENE STAFF
Published Tue Jan 25, 2022, 07:36 PM EST


Thai slugger Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1 43 KOs) and Mexico's Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1 27 KOs) will rekindle their rivalry with the vacant WBC super flyweight belt at stake at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday February 5th, live on DAZN.

The two warriors first fought in May 2014 for the same title, with Cuadras claiming the crown via technical decision after an accidental clash of heads.

Both fighters completed their pre-weigh-in 14 days prior to the fight. Cuadras weighed in at 54.5 KG (120.1 lbs), while Sor Rungvisai weighed in at 54.6 KG (120.3 lbs).

The WBC's William Boodhoo was responsible for monitoring weigh-ins and medical requirements.

Also on the card, Jamie Mitchell makes the first defense of her WBA bantamweight title against Carly Skelly.

Raymond Ford defends his WBA Continental featherweight title for the second time against Edward Vazquez.

Matchroom’s latest Stateside signing Aaron Aponte (4-0 KOs) looks to extend his unbeaten start to life in the paid ranks against unbeaten Canadian Louis Jourdain (2-0 1 KO), Light Heavyweight talent Khalil Coe (1-0-1 1 KO) also meets Canadian opposition in the form of Stuart Twardzik (1-0-1 1 KO) and there’s a big stage for two Arizona fighters, Heavyweight Adam Stewart (12-1-1 8 KOs) and Middleweight Elijah Garcia (9-0 8 KOs).

 

[patscorpio]

 

[FreedMind]

Whoa holy shyt

 

[aceboon]

Bam bout to make a statement. Jump in weightclasses but I think Cuadras has too many miles on him.

 

[Derek Lee]

Bam has a hunchback. Probably from playing too many video games

 

[patscorpio]

Bam bout to make a statement. Jump in weightclasses but I think Cuadras has too many miles on him.

yeah thats the 50-50 thing

even with all the wars hes been in ...cuadras given these dudes absolute hell..bam only has what 14 fights...shyt could go left too and bam takes a beating

i think bam is a talent and i think he would win...id be surprised if it ends up easy for him

 

[patscorpio]

RODRIGUEZ TO CHALLENGE CUADRAS FOR WBC SUPER-FLYWEIGHT TITLE
‘Bam’ fights for first World title in Phoenix on Saturday after Rungvisai falls ill
Jesse Rodriguez will fight for his first World title as he steps up to take on Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC World Super-Flyweight title at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night (February 5), live worldwide on DAZN.


Rodriguez (14-0 10 KOs) announced a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom last week, with the intention of closing in on a World title shot in 2022 with a fight on Saturday night’s bill.

That World title tilt now comes in his first fight with Hearn as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai was forced out of the rematch with Cuadras over the weekend through a non-COVID related illness, taken ill in the fight hotel having arrived in Arizona last Wednesday.

Robert Garcia-trained talent Rodriguez, who recently turned 22, featured on multiple 2022 fighters to watch lists, and when ‘Bam’ spoke of his desire to fight for World titles upon penning a deal with Hearn, he didn’t expect it to be so soon but he’s ready to take a golden opportunity with both hands and join his brother Joshua Franco as a World champion.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be fighting for the WBC World title,” said Rodriguez. “It’s always been a dream of mine to become World champion and that dream will become reality this weekend. I want to thank RGBA, Teiken, and Matchroom, without them this wouldn’t be possible. On Saturday night, San Antonio will have another World champion!”

Cuadras (39-4-1 27 KOs) was aiming to repeat his victory over Rungvisai where he ripped the green and gold belt from the Thai star in May 2014 in his Mexico homeland, but now the 33 year old refocuses on a new test in the young tyro Rodriguez.

It’s the second time that the Cuadras has tried to reclaim the throne and comes on the back of his last battle for the belt where he floored defending champion Estrada in the third round of his defense before the champion prevailed in Mexico in October 2020 – and he sends his well-wishes to his former foe while excited to still have the chance to become a World ruler again.

“I heard Rungvisai got sick, we arrived with my team last night to Phoenix, I hope he is stable and without complications,” said Cuadras. “For my part, I’m ready and grateful with Teiken, Matchroom and the WBC for the opportunity to fight Jesse, who is a good fighter.”

Rodriguez stepping in to take on Cuadras comes a week after another young star, Julio Cesar Martinez, set the tone by taking Juan Francisco Estrada’s place to tackle Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez in San Diego on March 5 in what promises to be an explosive clash – and Hearn echoed his words from that change in expecting both men to rise to a new challenge this weekend.

“Once again, my hat goes off to both Carlos, Jesse and their teams for making this happen,” said Hearn. “Both camps and fighters were quick to get this fight together after Srisaket was taken ill and unable to fight, and we wish him well.

“But what a fight we have in prospect. Carlos has the chance to become a two-time World champion and eye up the winner of the Chocolatito-Martinez fight, and Jesse has been chomping at the bit to get a World title shot and victory on Saturday night catapults him into the mix for huge fights in 2022.

“The lower weights always deliver, and fate may well have sent us another barn-burner to light up Phoenix on Saturday night.”

 

[reservoirdogs]

Dangerous to jump him like that but I consider Bam a blue chipper and I agree with aceboon that Cuadras has miles on him, this might be the right moment for Bam to break through. Some say he is a 108-er but really he was lingering between 108 and 112, he was a big 108-er, don't think the size difference will be that bad.

Feel pity about the Rat King though, hope he will get his chance

 

[Derek Lee]

 

[patscorpio]

i approve of the young man's drive to beat up on his opp's family who hold gamestop belts lol

edit..its cuadras saying it not bam...oops lol