SAN ANTONIO – Eddie Hearn always liked Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s chances to fully unify the flyweight division.
The only concern on his part is how soon the two-division titleholder can return to take the next step towards accomplishing that goal.
San Antonio’s Rodriguez (18-0, 11KOs) became the sport’s youngest active two-division titlist following a twelve-round, unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s Cristian Gonzalez (15-2, 6KOs) to win the WBO flyweight title. The feat came in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,516 on hand at Tech Port’s Boeing Center in his San Antonio hometown, though at a cost.
BoxingScene.com confirmed that Rodriguez was taken to the hospital shortly after Saturday’s DAZN main event to examine what is feared to be a broken jaw.
“They’re going to examine him, there is concern that it’s broken,” Hearn told Boxing Scene. “You could see the swelling on his face after the fight and heard it when he tried to speak. So, we will see what the medical experts and go from there.”
At the minimum, it delays plans for a terrific two belt fight between Rodriguez and reigning IBF titlist Sunny Edwards (19-0, 4KOs), whom Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing recently signed to a promotional agreement. Edwards last fought in a twelve-round decision victory over former junior flyweight champ Felix Alvarado last November and is eager to get back in the ring by this summer.
A Rodriguez/Edwards clash was targeted for July. The same timeframe is still eyed for Edwards’ debut with Matchroom, though with a different flyweight titlist.
“I think we try and once again the Martinez fight,” Hearn told iD boxing, referring to WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez. “He has a defense on May 6. Hopefully he wins and gets through it OK, then we can put him in straight in July.”
Martinez (19-2, 14KOs; 2NC) was previously due to face McWilliams Arroyo in an oft-rescheduled rematch. He will now defend his WBC belt versus Panama City’s Ronal Batista (15-2, 9KOs).
A win could put Martinez back into position for an opportunity that was on the table last summer. Edwards has longed for a fight with Martinez, which never materialized even as Sunny waited two months before proceeding with the mandatory title defense versus Alvarado.
“If it comes to that, I do believe we can get everyone on board,” noted Hearn. “There’s also the unbeaten Uzbek Artem Dalakian, the WBA champ.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox