Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez KOs Antonio Vargas to become three-weight world champion

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez stopped Antonio Vargas with a sixth-round method knockout to go triple champ

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez knocked down chap American Antonio Vargas, who was defending his WBA bantamweight rubric astatine the Desert Diamond Arena successful Glendale, Arizona, successful the 4th circular past landed a almighty near hook successful the sixth stanza earlier the bout was stopped.

The 26-year-old pound-for-pound star, who has a 24-0 nonrecreational record, has held satellite titles astatine super-flyweight and flyweight.

Although helium could stay successful the bantamweight people to situation WBO champion Christian Medina for different satellite title, Rodriguez has besides been linked with a determination up to super-bantamweight to situation undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.

“I’m acceptable for whoever, whenever,” Rodriguez said. “Put them successful beforehand of me, and I’m going to accidental yes.”

‘Bam’ Rodriguez landed 81 of 213 punches (38%) compared to 81 of 279 (29%) from Vargas.

It was lone the 2nd decision of Vargas’ nonrecreational career, and his archetypal since 2019, though helium drew with Daigo Higa past July successful the archetypal defence of his bantamweight title.

“He was a batch tougher than I thought,” Bam said.

“He had bully popular successful his punches. I didn’t deliberation helium had popular similar that.

“Even aft that archetypal knockdown, helium got up and helium was warring similar it ne'er adjacent happened. Respect to him.”