JESSE BAM RODRIGUEZ ENTERS FREE AGENCY FOLLOWING MASSIVE RIYADH KNOCKOUT WIN
Jesse Bam Rodriguez targets an undisputed status after knocking out Martínez. Hear why Eddie Hearn expects him to stay at Matchroom.
Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez just keeps climbing. Right now, he’s the lineal and unified super flyweight champ, and his last fight showed why. On November 22, 2025, in Riyadh, he stepped into the ring against the tough WBA champion Fernando Martínez (18-1, 9 KOs). Bam boxed smart, moved beautifully, and made Martínez miss all night. By the 10th round, he was still in total control, and then he finished it—caught Martínez with a counter left hook and dropped him hard. Martínez couldn’t get up, and that was it. Bam added the WBA belt to his WBC and WBO collection.
Now, word’s out—Bam’s a promotional free agent. Eddie Hearn talked to Rob Tebbutt at the Sportsman to clear things up about Bam’s contract.
Hearn explained, “We’ve got some matching and negotiation options on him, but honestly, I’m not too worried. We’re working with Robert Garcia and Jesse to go after the undisputed championship. There’s a lot going on—the IBF belt and Willibaldo Garcia, who just pulled out of a fight, and now he has to face Maloney. So, there’s a bit of a mess to sort out. We have to keep Maloney happy, Bam happy, and Willibaldo Garcia happy—it’s tricky, but we want to do something big for Bam at the Alamodome. Sure, things can change, but I see Bam sticking with Matchroom for the rest of his career.”
Hearn didn’t hide how much Bam means to the team: “He’s huge for us, personally and as a business. We’ve looked after him and paid him well—he’s earned every bit of it. The new deal on the table is big money. He’s one of the top fighters in the sport.”
Is Bam moving up to 118 soon? Hearn said, “Maybe. If he doesn’t get the undisputed fight, he’ll move up. The thing is, Maloney’s about to fight Garcia for not much money, but he could be on the undercard, make a nice payday, and get a guaranteed shot at the winner. Sometimes you have to put the emotion aside and just make the right business move.”
Matchroom has done right by Jesse Bam Rodriguez so far, and Hearn sounds pretty sure they’re not done yet.
THE TOP FIVE: WHY EMANUEL NAVARRETE CONSIDERS "SUGAR" NúñEZ HIS MOST DANGEROUS THREAT YET
Unification is here: Discover why Emanuel Navarrete respects Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez and how to watch the Glendale title war live.
Emanuel Navarrete didn’t hold back this week. He made it clear that Eduardo “Sugar” Núñez isn’t just another unification opponent. With their WBO-IBF super featherweight title fight coming up Saturday night, Navarrete put Núñez in his personal top five toughest opponents. That’s a big compliment, especially from a guy who’s seen pretty much everything in the ring.
During Matchroom’s “Cards on the Table", Navarrete looked Núñez in the eye and said, “Of the five toughest opponents I’ve faced, without a doubt I consider you among them.” For a three-division champ, words like that feel loaded. Maybe he’s playing mind games. Or maybe he just respects what Núñez brings. Either way, it stands out, especially since people have been questioning Navarrete’s recent performances.
Núñez’s record looks scary: 29 wins, just one loss, and 27 knockouts. But if you look closer, things get complicated. He beat Christopher Díaz in Mexico, but that fight dragged into a twelve-round decision. Núñez couldn’t finish strong; his power faded late, and a lot of folks thought Díaz deserved a closer scorecard.
Even so, Eddie Hearn has been hyping up Núñez all week, framing him as the fresher, sharper champion in this matchup.
Meanwhile, Navarrete comes in with some baggage. His last fight against Charly Suarez got messy. The ref gave Navarrete a technical decision win, but then video replay showed Suarez caused a nasty cut with a left hook, not a head clash. The result switched to a no-contest, and the California commission ordered a rematch that never happened. That whole episode left a bad taste, and it exposed some holes in Navarrete’s defence. Now, people wonder if he can handle a disciplined, hard-hitting counter-puncher like Núñez.
Fighting in Glendale, Arizona, adds its own twist. The Mexican fan base always shows up big here, but with both guys hailing from Mexico, there’s no clear home advantage. This time, it’s all about national pride and those belts. The stakes go way beyond just the physical fight; there’s an emotional edge, too.
When two Mexican fighters square off, there’s this silent expectation: give the fans a war. Nobody wants to be the guy playing it safe or backing up all night, not with that crowd watching. It usually means both men take risks they wouldn’t take against anyone else.
Navarrete’s got the legacy, the belts, and the experience. Núñez is the hungry IBF champ looking to make his mark. In Mexican boxing, these moments when one star tries to take the torch from another tend to become legends. Just think Barrera vs. Morales. That’s the kind of fight on the table here, and both guys know what’s at stake.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: DECODING MANNY PACQUIAO’S 11-YEAR PLAN TO AVENGE HIS 2015 CAREER LOSS
Is the 50-0 streak over? Analyse Pacquiao’s recent form, Mayweather’s return, and the high-tech battle at The Sphere.
On September 19, 2026, Floyd Mayweather, now 49, and Manny Pacquiao, 47, will finally face off again. It’s been 11 years since their first fight, and this time they’re stepping into the ring at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Netflix will stream the event live, making it one of the most anticipated comebacks in recent boxing history.
Back in May 2015, Mayweather walked away from “The Fight of the Century” with a unanimous decision win. Since then, he’s only had one big match, a 2017 win over UFC’s Conor McGregor. Pacquiao, on the other hand, fought most recently in 2025. He went toe-to-toe with Mario Barrios, the WBC World Welterweight champ, and managed a draw. People were amazed to see Pacquiao, at 46, still holding his own.
Now, Pacquiao’s got unfinished business. He’s fired up to rewrite the story in this rematch.
When ESPN’s SportsCenter asked Pacquiao why now, he didn’t hesitate. “I’m still active in boxing, and then he came out of retirement, so he decided to do it again. I’m so excited for the fight.”
Mayweather has an exhibition lined up against Mike Tyson in spring 2026. Pacquiao is fighting Ruslan Provodnikov in April, also an exhibition. But when it comes to Mayweather, Pacquiao’s not interested in another exhibition match. “I don’t want to fight in an exhibition with him. I want to fight a real fight. This is what I’m waiting for.”
Pacquiao’s not making excuses this time around. After the first fight, he talked about a shoulder injury, but that’s in the past. “I learned a lot from that fight way back in 2015. I think we’ve both matured. We know how to handle it now. I hope it won’t be like last time. I want no more excuses, especially about my condition. I’m so excited and ready to fight.”
Even at 47, Pacquiao feels sharp. “Both of us are disciplined fighters. We take care of our bodies. I work out almost every day. Honestly, I still feel young. Nothing’s changed.”
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