Juan Francisco Estrada vs Jesse Rodriguez Preview June 29th, 2024
WBC Super Flyweight Champion Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico will be defending his belt against unbeaten southpaw Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez of San Antonio, Texas this Saturday, June 29th. Rodriguez is moving back up from flyweight to try to win the crown for a second time. The 12-round bout can be seen live from Phoenix, Arizona in most nations on DAZN. Estrada last boxed in December, 2022 when he beat Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez by a controversial majority decision to win the vacant WBC Title. Gonzalez and Estrada also met in March, 2021 with Estrada wining a highly-controversial 12-round split decision. They first met in 2012 with Gonzalez taking a 12-round unanimous decision. Rodriguez last boxed in December when he stopped IBF Flyweight Champion Sunny Edwards of England in the ninth round to add that belt to his WBO Flyweight version. Rodriguez is also a former WBC Super Flyweight Champion
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Estrada vs Rodriguez Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Juan Francisco Estrada +350
- Jesse Rodriguez -500
My Pick
The 34-year-old Estrada enters the ring with a record of 44-3 with 28 Ko’s. He’s a former WBO and WBA Flyweight Champion who first won the WBC Super Flyweight Title in April, 2019 when he edged Srisaket Sor Rungvisai by a close unanimous decision in a rematch. Estrada lost a majority decision to Rungvisai just over a year earlier. Estrada stands 5-feet-4-inches tall with a 66-inch reach which sees him give up a minimal one inch in reach to Rodriguez.
Estrada turned pro back in 2008 and has boxed 322 rounds since then after a good amateur career. He’s never been stopped but had to get off the canvas in the third round against Carlos Cuadras in 2020 when he looked like he was close to being stopped. His other two losses came by way of unanimous decision to Roman Gonzalez in 2012 in his first attempt at the WBA title and to Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. by an eight-round unanimous decision in 2011.
Estrada has pretty good power as 63.6 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but he’s gone the distance in his last three fights. His biggest wins have been against Gonzalez (twice), Rungvisai, Cuadras (twice), Hernan Marquez, Giovani Segura, Milan Melindo, Brian Viloria, Rommel Asenjo and Richie Mepranum. He reportedly had a 100-15 mark in the amateurs and was the WBO World Flyweight Champ from April 2013 to October 2016 and made five defences. He was the WBA Super World Flyweight Champ at the same time and also defended that belt five times.
Rodriguez is currently one of the youngest pro world boxing champions as he’s just 24 years old. He enters the fight with a perfect mark of 19-0 with 12 Ko’s and also possesses pretty good power in his arsenal with a current knockout ratio of 63.2 per cent, but has gone the distance in three of his past five outings. He stands 5-feet-4-inches tall with a 67-inch reach and is the brother of former WBA Super Flyweight Champion Joshua Franco. He made his pro debut in 2017 and has boxed 103 rounds since.
Rodriguez enjoyed a fine amateur career which saw him win the 2015 U.S. National Junior Under-17 Championship at 101 lbs, capture a silver medal at the 2015 World Junior Under-17 Championships at 101 lbs and win the 2016 U.S. National Junior Under-17 Championships at 106 lbs. As a pro, he beat Carlos Cuadras by unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC Super Flyweight Belt in February, 2022. He the title twice as he beat Israel Gonzalez by unanimous decision and stopped fellow southpaw and former world champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in the eighth round in June, 2022.
He went down to win the vacant WBO Flyweight Title in April, 2023 when he beat Cristian Hernandez by unanimous decision and defended that belt for the first time and won the IBF version with his ninth-round stoppage of Sunny Edwards in his last contest. Rodriguez also has wins over Armando Vazquez, Rauf Aghayev, Cesar Torrijos, Marco Sustaita, Janiel Rivera and Saul Juarez. Like Estrada, he possesses excellent speed, skills, a solid chin and enough power.
Prediction…
Estrada and Rodriguez are both world-class boxers who aren’t afraid to let their hands go and give the fans value for their money. Estrada is a full decade older than Rodriguez however and hasn’t fought since December, 2022. Rodriguez needs to cut off the ring and dig to the body while Estrada needs to utilize his fine jab. This is another excellent matchup and no outcome will be surprising including a draw. However, I’m taking Rodriguez due to the 10-year age difference and Estrada’s recent inactivity.
A tossup with Rodriguez having the slightest of edges due to his age.
Play: Rodriguez -500 @ BetOnline.ag
Jesse Rodriguez betting • Juan Francisco Estrada betting