One of the most eagerly anticipated fights of the year will take place when Mexican great Juan Francisco Estrada defends WBC and Ring Magazine super flyweight titles against pound-for-pound hotshot Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on June 29.
The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will air on DAZN.
Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) is coming off his second triumph over the legendary Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez in December 2022. While he’s been inactive for over a year and a half, “El Gallo” is the man to beat at 115 pounds and his skills and ring IQ are beyond reproach.
WATCH: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez, live on DAZN
In December, Bam (19-0, 12 KOs) unified the IBF and WBO flyweight titles at the expense of the previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards. The San Antonio-born star once held the WBC title at super flyweight, so he’s looking to regain it by dethroning the most decorated opponent he’s ever faced.
The Sporting News provides odds and a final prediction for this super flyweight super fight.
Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez betting odds
Per BetMGM, Bam is the -450 favorite while Estrada is the +400 underdog.
Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez trends
- Bam via KO/TKO/Tech. Dec/ DQ: +200
- Bam via decision: -120
- Estrada via KO/ TKO/ Tech. Dec/ DQ: +1000
- Estrada via decision: +700
- Draw: +1400
Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez prediction, best bets
In and out of the ring, boxing is all about timing.
While Estrada is a formidable opponent, the fact is that he’s 34 years old and has contested 47 professional fights – many of them wars – over 16 years. The champ is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he’s also a lot closer to the end than the beginning.
Bam is the youngest world champion in boxing today. At 24 years old, he's in the prime of his life and he’s the more active fighter by far. Not only is the challenger younger and fresher, but he has terrific talent, packs a punch and he’s hungry to create the kind of legacy Estrada established a long time ago.
I foresee Estrada boxing and moving and he’ll build a lead early. However, the younger man will be applying plenty of pressure and looking to drain his opponent’s resources. The fight will have changed by round five and the champion will be out-punched in most of the exchanges.
It's beyond unusual for me to pick against Estrada, particularly by stoppage, but I think the 19-month layoff will come back to haunt him here.
Sporting News prediction: Rodriguez TKO 12 (Per BetMGM: +200)
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