Bruce Carrington identifies Bam Rodriguez’s Inoue concern
On June 13, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Jesse Bam Rodriguez defeated Antonio Vargas to win the WBA bantamweight title. After this impressive stoppage, attention quickly turned to what could be next for Bam, including a potential showdown with Naoya Inoue. WBC featherweight world champion Bruce Carrington has spoken to Fight Hub TV about a Bam-Inoue clash.
Bam Rodriguez defeats Antonio Vargas
Vargas (19-2-1, 11 KOs) started the fight well, putting his punches together, outworking Bam in the opening three minutes. The challenger settled in the second round, moving swiftly, varying his angles. Vargas continued to pose awkward questions for Bam (24-0, 17 KOs) for the next few rounds, with his accuracy and combination punches standing out.
The fifth round saw the tide turn, and Bam landed a sharp left hand, knocking Vargas down. The champion did well to beat the count and end the round, throwing back. The sixth round saw Bam Rodriguez land a beautifully timed left hand, knocking Vargas down. The champion tried to beat the count, but ultimately rolled onto his back, with the referee waving the fight off at the count of six. He adjusted against a good fighter before scoring a world-class KO. What a win for Bam, who is now a three-division world champion.
Carrington on what Bam must improve before facing Inoue
Reflecting on Bam’s win against Vargas, and what he should do before potentially facing Inoue, Carrington said:
“I saw that, going into this fight with Antonio Vargas. A big shot, he got caught with, towards the end. He did great, but I do think that Bam needs some time to grow into these weight classes. He needs some time, because there was little spells inside that fight where I saw Antonio Vargas have success.
“I thought Bam can get caught like that with certain fighters. Especially when he’s going to shoot up to Inoue, where Inoue’s punches have bad intentions. We’ve seen Bam get knocked down before. So, there are certain things he may need to tighten up on, and certain things he may need to get stronger with, as he continues to go up in these weight classes. But I do think that Bam has a true chance in beating Inoue.”
Featured Image Credit:
Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Ricky Carroll
Freelance Writer and Digital Marketer, spending most of his time waiting for Andy Cruz to win a world title. Also watches YouTube videos of Lennox Lewis fights on a daily basis.