Antonio Vargas looks ahead to career defining fight against Bam Rodriguez

On June 13, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Antonio Vargas vs Bam Rodriguez headlines a Matchroom Boxing card in association with Boxlab Promotions, live on DAZN. The main event will be for Vargas’s WBA Bantamweight World title. Ahead of this intriguing matchup, Vargas has spoken about facing Rodriguez and reflected on his training camp.

Antonio Vargas set to defend WBA crown against Bam Rodriguez

Jesse Bam Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs)  has looked imperious throughout his professional career, defeating Sunny Edwardsto unify the Flyweight division. He has also recorded impressive wins over Carlos Cuadras, Juan Francisco Estrada, Pedro Guevara, and Phumelele Cafu. Last time out, Bam dominated and knocked out Fernando Martinez to win the WBA super flyweight title.

Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) has been elevated to the full champion for the second time, having landed the interim title in December 2024 against Winston Guerrero. He was then elevated before defending the title against Daigo Higa in July, with their highly entertaining fight ending in a draw. He then became champion in recess after a fight with former champion Seiya Tsutsumi was postponed for a third time. The Japanese fighter has now been placed in the same position after being unable to face Vargas on the fourth attempt, with Vargas once again elevated, leading to the upcoming showdown with Bam.

Vargas reflects on ‘the best camp I’ve ever had’

Ahead of the biggest fight of his career so far, Vargas has reflected on his build-up:

“This has honestly been the best camp I’ve ever had,” said Vargas. “Every day I’ve been pushing myself beyond my limits as I know what is on the line. When you’re preparing to face a fighter like Bam Rodriguez, you can’t leave anything to chance. I’ve surrounded myself with a great team, we’ve studied everything, and I’ve put in the work physically, mentally, and emotionally. I feel stronger, sharper, and more confident than ever before, and more importantly, my faith in God is lifting me up.

“We’ve focused on every detail. The conditioning, the strategy, the sparring, everything has been executed at a championship level,” continued Vargas. “As a world champion, you must continue evolving, and I feel like I’ve reached another level during this camp. I’m hungry to show the boxing world this version of myself.”

Vargas feels Bam presents an opportunity

“I have a lot of respect for Bam Rodriguez and everything he’s accomplished in the sport. He’s earned his reputation as a pound-for-pound great for a reason. But this is the kind of fight every fighter dreams about. As a champion, you want to face the best and prove yourself against the best. That’s exactly what I’m doing on June 13,” said Vargas, showcasing his desire to face Bam.

Despite being the champion, Vargas is the underdog, and the magnitude of the challenge in front of him appears not to be lost on him:

“A lot of people are counting me out, and that’s fine. I’ve been doubted before. What motivates me is knowing that this is my chance to shock the world. I didn’t work my whole life to be satisfied with just winning a world title. I want to keep building my legacy. Bam is standing in front of me, and I’m ready to rise to the occasion. Fans should expect a determined champion who’s coming to defend his belt with everything he has.”

“A win over a fighter like Jesse Rodriguez changes everything,” Vargas stated. “He’s considered one of the best fighters in the world, regardless of weight class. Beating someone of that caliber would show everyone that I’m one of the best fighters in the sport. This is the type of victory that can define a career and open the door to even bigger opportunities. I try not to get too caught up in what comes after the fight because my focus has to remain on June 13. But there’s no denying what’s at stake. This is the biggest moment of my career, and I’m ready to embrace it. I believe this fight will bring out the absolute best version of me.”

Antonio Vargas ready to seize his moment on the biggest stage

Discussing his faith and being ready to seize this opportunity, Vargas said:

“Defending my world title on DAZN and in front of a global audience means everything to me,” Vargas concluded. “These are the moments fighters work for their entire lives. As Jesus lifts me up, fans from all over the world are going to be watching, and I plan to give them a performance they’ll remember while giving all the glory to God.

“I want people tuning in to see a champion who refuses to back down from any challenge. This platform gives me an opportunity to represent my family, my supporters, my faith, and everyone who has believed in me from the beginning. I’m grateful for the opportunity, but I’m not satisfied just being here. I going to humbly leave Arizona still holding my title and prove that I belong on the biggest stages in boxing.”

Featured Image Credit:

LEVANPRODUCTIONS LLC