FOR most, whether or not fighter or fan, the prospect of being caught in a hoop with Japan’s Naoya Inoue could be thought of one thing nearer to a nightmare than a dream. He’s, in spite of everything, referred to as “Monster” and has, by the course of a 12-year skilled profession, ended 24 of his 27 professional fights throughout the distance, usually in devastating fashion.
And but, whereas Inoue for good motive strikes concern into all with whom he crosses paths, there may be one man whose intuition is to run in direction of the menace reasonably than away. His identify is Jesse Rodriguez and never solely does Rodriguez declare to hold no concern of Inoue, however he needs to battle him in Tokyo, Japan. He even goes as far as to name this his “dream”.
“Inoue is a dream battle,” Rodriguez advised Boxing Information. “That’s a battle I’ve been asking about for a few years now. Each time they ask me to call my dream battle I say it could be in opposition to him in Japan.”
Naoya Inoue
For this to occur, in fact, a number of issues would want to fall into place. First, Rodriguez must take the WBC super-flyweight belt from Juan Francisco Estrada, whom he meets on June 29 in Phoenix. Then, following that, Rodriguez must really quench his thirst within the 115-pound division, which might, he says, result in a battle in opposition to the winner of the WBA and IBF title conflict between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez on July 7.
“That’s an excellent battle however I believe Ioka will edge it out,” mentioned Rodriguez. “That’s a battle (in opposition to both Ioka or Martinez) down the road I might be taken with.
“I simply need to battle the perfect fights attainable. If he’s (Ioka) in the best way, let’s make it occur. Additionally, I like being in Tokyo. So let’s make it occur on the market.
“Simply being in Japan looks like being at dwelling. It’s my dwelling away from dwelling in a method.”
To have so many choices, and for every of those choices to be so interesting, is a testomony to each the speed at which Rodriguez has progressed and his willingness to pursue the perfect challenges on the market. Nonetheless simply 24, he has each likelihood, ought to his plan come to fruition, of making a legacy which ranks alongside these of the perfect fighters within the decrease weight courses – and all inside simply three or 4 extra fights.
“I’ve this one (in opposition to Estrada on June 29), and I even have a rematch clause with Estrada, so if he needs to try this, that will be the second (battle),” mentioned Rodriguez, 19-0 (12). “Then the winner of Martinez versus Ioka. That’s the perfect plan for me, but when I needed to keep for one more battle to go undisputed, I’ve no drawback with that.”
Seemingly, if his actions and his phrases supply a real reflection of his thoughts, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has no issues doing something. Sure, even combating Naoya Inoue in Tokyo, Japan.