Latest news with #JesseRodriguez
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rodriguez stops Cafu in super flyweight unification fight
American Jesse Rodriguez stopped South Africa's Phumelele Cafu in the 10th round on Saturday to win a world super flyweight title unification showdown of unbeatens at Frisco, Texas. Rodriguez landed a hard right hook and followed with an unchallenged series of punches that forced referee Hector Afu to stop the bout after two minutes and seven seconds of the 10th round. "All I remember is I caught him with a right hook. That's about it," said Rodriguez. "I felt like it was a good performance, my best performance up to today now. It was my toughest opponent, my toughest fight." Rodriquez kept his WBC crown and took Cafu's WBO title, improving to 22-0 with his 15th victory inside the distance. Cafu fell to 11-1 with three drawn, his seven-fight win streak snapped in his US debut. "All credit to Cafu. He's a tough opponent. He was a lot tougher than I thought he would be but we got the job done no matter what," Rodriguez said. "I wasn't hurt but I could feel he had pop. He had better pop than I expected. I knew he had power but not like that. And he can take a shot." That forced a strategy change in the 115-pound (52.2kg) division matchup of stellar southpaws. "I had to stop throwing every shot hard," Rodriguez said. "I was trying maybe a little too hard to get him out of there, but once I felt he could take my best shot and keep going, that's when I had to slow my pace down, set him up with a few shots here and there like I did to get him out of there." Rodriguez, 25, and Cafu, 26, were cautious in the early rounds, the American trying to press the attack but wary of the African's counter punches, each fighter respectful of the dangers his rival offered. A right uppercut by Rodriguez set up a combination in the fourth round but Cafu began working to the body, striking with his own combination late in round five and a solid left hook late in round six. Rodriguez landed a hard combination of five punches starting with a left hook in the final minute of the ninth round and won it with his flurry late in round 10, forcing Cafu's corner to wave the towel. Rodriguez plans to fight the division's other unbeaten champion, WBA title-holder Fernando Martinez of Argentina, on November 22. He had a cut on a left knuckle but said he was fine. "It's just a little, I don't know what you call it, but I'll be good," Rodriguez said. "I want to be undisputed, especially the way I did it against Cafu, a world champion and I got him out before the 12th round. It just shows I'm here to stay." js/rcw
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where to watch Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez vs. Phumelela Cafu: Live stream, TV channel start time for 2025 boxing fight
There are massive plans for Jesse Rodriguez at super flyweight. First he competes in a unification fight against the dangerous Phumelele Cafu. Here's how to watch Jesse Rodriguez vs. Phumelele Cafu, including streaming options and channel to catch the main card, start time and more. Where to watch Jesse Rodriguez vs. Phumelele Cafu Stream: DAZN Jesse Rodriguez vs. Phumelele Cafu will be available on DAZN. A DAZN monthly subscription is $19.99 on a 12-month contract or $24.99 month-to-month. The annual subscription is $224.99. Jesse Rodriguez vs. Phumelele Cafu start time Date: Saturday, July 19 Start time: 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT Main event start time (approx.): 11:30 p.m. ET | 8:30 p.m. PT Location: Ford Center at The Star - Frisco, Texas The Rodriguez vs. Cafu fight is at the Ford Center at The Star in Texas on July 19. The event starts at 8 p.m. ET. Rodriguez and Cafu should make their way to the ring around 11:30 p.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last. Rodriguez (21-0) initially held gold at 115 before focusing on the flyweight division. "Bam" won the WBO and IBF belts before returning to super flyweight, knocking out Juan Francisco Estrada to claim the WBC and Ring titles. If the 25-year-old wins, he's in line to face Fernando Daniel Martinez in another unification fight. The path to undisputed has officially begun. DAZN Cafu (11-0-3) traveled to Japan and beat Kosei Tanaka for the WBO title. The 26-year-old competes in America for the first time. With eight wins via knockout, "Truth" looks to spoil Rodriguez's party. He's ready to earn all the glory at the expense of his opponent. "Bam, I'm f------ coming for your head, bro. It all ends on the 19th," Cafu said via Yahoo. "And the new unified super flyweight champion of the world! I'm 'The Truth,' baby, and I'm going to prove it to you all. Let's f------ get it!" Jesse Rodriguez vs. Phumelele Cafu fight card Jesse Rodriguez (c) vs. Phumelele Cafu (c) for the WBC, WBO, and Ring super flyweight titles Diego Pacheco vs. Trevor McCumby; Super Middleweights Austin Williams vs. Etinosa Oliha; Middleweights Arturo Popoca vs. Dominique Crowder; Bantamweights Omari Jones vs. Alfredo Rodolfo Blanco; Super Welterweights Pablo Valdez vs. Robert Redmond Jr.; Super Welterweights
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez's Texas return is a reminder of how far he's come
It's been more than five years since Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez stepped foot in the arena he's about to headline this weekend. The gifted southpaw was just 20 years old when he landed on a February 2020 card topped by stablemate and four-division champ Mikey Garcia's win over Jessie Vargas. Rodriguez was the first fighter through the door for a show at the Ford Center at The Star, the practice facility for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, Texas. Outside of racking up his 11th win, his memories from that evening aren't particularly of the fond variety. 'It's crazy to think how far I've come since then. I was the first fight that night, and there were maybe 30 people in the building when I entered the ring," Rodriguez told Uncrowned. 'They didn't even have my name spelled right on the fight poster.' Ten fights and four world titles later, San Antonio's Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) no longer has to worry about fighting in anonymity. The proof is in the anticipated turnout Saturday for his junior bantamweight unification clash with South Africa's Phumelela Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KOs). Rodriguez, Uncrowned's No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter, risks his lineal and WBC 115-pound championship against the visiting Cafu, who attempts the first defense of his own WBO title. A crowd of roughly 12,000 is expected to be on hand at The Star — a 40,000% increase from the paltry number of fans who saw Rodriguez take out Marco Sustaita in the eighth round back in 2020, several hours before most of the fans filed in for that night's Garcia vs. Vargas DAZN main event. 'I think that's badass that fans are responding the way they have,' said Rodriguez, whose last fight in Texas was more than two years ago. 'We're only four hours away (from San Antonio). I have a lot of family and friends supporting me, so it's going to be amazing. 'It's a good feeling to be in this position. The last time I was here was five years ago. Nobody was here when my fight began, because I was the first fight on the show. To see how far I've come from then to headlining in the same place, it's amazing.' Even more amazing is the run Rodriguez has been on ever since he entered the title picture. Cafu represents the sixth former or current titlist Rodriguez will face over a span of just eight fights. He has picked up major titles on four of those nights, beginning with his February 2022 WBC junior bantamweight championship win over former champ Carlos Cuadras in Phoenix, Arizona. The opportunity came last-minute — Rodriguez was training for a flyweight bout on the undercard when he agreed to enter the main event at the higher weight on just six days' notice in place of an ill Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. Hardly anyone was in attendance that night, though it remains the starting point of Rodriguez's rapid ascension to the top. He stuck it out at junior bantamweight for the rest of the year. The run included his first hometown headliner, to a much more favorable review. Fittingly, it came against Sor Rungvisai, a former lineal and WBC 115-pound champion whom Rodriguez obliterated inside of eight rounds in front a capacity crowd in San Antonio. Rodriguez returned home two fights later, again to rabid local support as he defeated Mexico's Cristian Gonzalez to win the vacant WBO flyweight title. His newfound status as a two-division beltholder came at a cost, however, as Rodriguez suffered a badly broken jaw midway through his April 2023 headliner with Gonzalez, delaying plans for a targeted unification clash against then-unbeaten IBF titlist Sunny Edwards. That fight came later in the year and represented Rodriguez's first true grudge match — as well as the first real sign of a box-office attraction on the horizon. The pre-fight build was spicy and often disrespectful, as England's Edwards crossed several lines in labeling Rodriguez's team and the SNAC program Rodriguez represents as cheaters. Their December 2023 unification bout took place at Desert Diamond Arena just outside of Phoenix and to a far more favorable turnout than when he faced Cuadras nearly two years prior. Rodriguez delivered big time for his newfound fan base, earning a ninth-round stoppage to become the top fighter at flyweight and among the sport's best pound-for-pound talents. Six months later, Rodriguez returned back to the area — and to the same venue where he claimed his first world title. The same WBC junior bantamweight belt was at stake, though claimed by Mexico's Juan Francisco Estrada, the division's recognized lineal champ since 2019. Rodriguez climbed off the canvas to knock Estrada out in the seventh round to begin his second WBC 115-pound title reign. The biggest fight of Rodriguez's career came with the crowd to match. The memorable clash in June 2024 sold 7,261 tickets, with the crowd largely split but in full support of Rodriguez by night's end — and for good reason. 'Phoenix has become my second home,' Rodriguez insisted. 'It's where I won my first world title, where I unified [in nearby Glendale] and where I became The Ring champion against Estrada. I even became a Phoenix Suns fan. I don't know when it will happen again but I'll definitely be back there for sure. 'For now, the priority was to return to my home state. I'm grateful the fans have responded the way they have.' So, too, is the team who has believed in him during his rise through the ranks. 'The most pleasing thing about the show this weekend — aside from the number of people [who will be] in the building — is that Jesse is finally getting the recognition he deserves,' Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn told Uncrowned. 'He's one of the best in the world for sure. But often, the harsh truth is that the [115-pound] division doesn't always get that recognition. 'But he has this almost cult following, this quiet aura about him that draws people in. The remarkable thing about this is that he's not even doing it in his home city. Dallas is four hours away, but he's got friends and family coming in and the local turnout has been incredible." A win on Saturday will put Rodriguez in line to face yet another reigning titlist in Fernando "Pumita" Rodriguez (18-0, 9 KOs), a tough-as-nails Argentinean who holds the WBA belt. The bout was already announced earlier this month by Turki Alalshikh, boxing's biggest current financier who secured the fight as part of his Nov. 22 super-card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neither that matchup nor Martinez's name were even mentioned by Rodriguez or Hearn during Thursday's final pre-fight press conference. 'First of all, it would have been extremely disrespectful to Cafu,' acknowledged Hearn. 'Look, the fight was made and announced sooner than we'd have liked, but Jesse really didn't have a choice. It was either take the fight or lose the spot on that card. 'But we just got to keep Jesse focused, which has never, ever been an issue. It's a little awkward to be in this position, but it's just more motivation to win this weekend.' Rodriguez doesn't even need the allure of a bigger fight down the road to prevail in the one directly in front of him. His only motivation to win during his 2020 appearance at The Star was to remain unbeaten. After all, it wasn't like he could look out into the crowd for extra support. Then again, it was motivation to make sure he didn't have that problem the next time he rolled into town. 'Returning to my home state to be in a unification really means a lot to me,' said Rodriguez. 'We didn't know what the fan reaction would be like when we agreed to this fight, just that we knew it would be a lot bigger for me than the last time I was here. 'It's a great feeling to welcome another champion to Texas and bring a fight like this to my fans.' While all of his focus is on Cafu and not at all on the fight that awaits in November, there is one fantasy event that Rodriguez can't help but visualize. 'Maybe one day, we can take a big fight to the Alamodome,' Rodriguez dreamed aloud of headlining at the 73,000-seat venue in his hometown. 'Imagine that, going from first fight of the night in front of almost nobody to bringing out all of San Antonio.'
TimesLIVE
17-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Phumelela Cafu bids to end SA boxing's drought of ‘big name' glory
WBO junior-bantamweight champion Phumelela Cafu bids to push South African boxing back into the limelight when he takes on WBC counterpart Jesse Rodriguez in a unification bout in the US on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time). Rodriguez, a crafty southpaw who offloads his power shots at short range, is the best in the division at the moment and is the ticket Cafu needs to punch if he wants to score a long overdue shock South African victory. The last local fighter to topple a major name in world boxing was Simpiwe Vetyeka when he dethroned WBA featherweight kingpin Chris John in 2013, sending the Indonesian legend into retirement. Before that one had to go back another decade to when Corrie Sanders stunned Wladimir Klitschko with his speed and power to lift the WBO heavyweight title on a second round stoppage. Klitschko, widely considered heir apparent to Lennox Lewis at the time, went on to dominate the division. Amid those two wins across 22 years were several defeats — Phillip Ndou against American superstar Floyd Mayweather (2003), Silence Mabuza against Rafael Marquez of Mexico (2004), Moruti Mthalane and Jeffrey Mathebula against Filipino Nonito Donaire (2008 and 2012 respectively) and Thabiso Mchunu against Ukraine great Oleksandr Usyk (2016). Defeat has been the more common outcome in these big stage bouts. There were five losses from five attempts between late 1996 and 2001, with Mexican Ricardo Lopez accounting for two, beating Morgan Ndumo (1996) and Zolani Petelo (2001). Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines upstaged Lehlohonolo Ledwaba in 2001, Naseem Hamed had an easy night against Vuyani Bungu in 2000 and Phillip Holiday seldom looked comfortable against Sugar Shane Mosley in 1997. It was South Africa's own Sugar, Thulani 'Sugar Boy' Malinga, who scored one of the sensational victories of the 1990s when he edged Briton Nigel Benn by split decision in early 1996, but even he went down to two other superstars. Malinga lost a split decision to Chris Eubank, another British box office draw, in 1992 and was stopped in six rounds by Roy Jones junior in 1993. In early 1991 Brian Mitchell, holder of the WBA junior-lightweight title, drew with IBF champion Tony Lopez in a unification bout. He beat Lopez in a rematch later in the year with only the IBF belt at stake. Gerrie Coetzee scored arguably the highest profile win of the 1980s when he stopped Michael Dokes for the WBA heavyweight crown in 1983, when it counted as 50% of the championship. He was also impressive when destroying former world champion Leon Spinks in one round in 1979. Kevin Lerena takes on Lawrence Okolie in London, also on Saturday night, with the winner likely to be thrust into world heavyweight title contention. Victory for Lerena would give him the opportunity to fight for a spot on the list of South African giant slayers. Peter 'Terror' Mathebula lifted the WBA flyweight title in 1980, while Harold Volbrecht was stopped by hard-hitting WBA welterweight king Pipino Cuevas earlier that year. In 1973 Arnold Taylor scored his sensational 14th round knockout of Mexican Romeo Anaya to win the WBA bantamweight title, and in 1950 Vic Toweel ground down veteran Manuel Ortiz to land the undisputed world bantamweight crown. South African fans had to wait 23 years between the triumphs of Toweel and Taylor. The drought since Vetyeka's 2013 victory until now is the second-longest in South African boxing.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Minnesota lawmakers shot: What was found in gunman's car? AK-style rifle, ‘No Kings' flyers and more
(AP photo) As law enforcement agencies continue their massive manhunt for a man who fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota's Brooklyn Park early Saturday, a chilling discovery inside his fake police vehicle is shedding light on what may have motivated the deadly rampage. He also opened fire at another Democratic Senator John Hoffman and his wife, who were seriously wounded by gunshots. Authorities revealed that the suspect, identified by police sources as Vance Boelter, had outfitted an SUV to resemble a police cruiser, complete with lights, a badge, a Taser, and tactical clothing. But what investigators found inside the car has now added a disturbing layer to the case. A massive stack of handwritten "No Kings" flyers was recovered from the vehicle, according to state patrol officials, linking the suspect to a growing wave of anti-Trump protests planned nationwide for Saturday, including across Minnesota. — JesseRodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) Officials also recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect's vehicle, a person told Associated Press. 'The photo is of flyers inside the vehicle of the suspect in today's shootings,' read a post by Minnesota State Patrol alongside an image of the leaflets, which were found on the seat of the ditched car. The flyers, which simply read 'No Kings,' echoed the theme of demonstrations denouncing President Donald Trump. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Although no direct connection has yet been confirmed, authorities said the suspect also carried writings that mentioned the names of several lawmakers, including the victims. Despite the discovery, "there is no confirmed link between the gunman and the No Kings event," said State Patrol Col Christina Bogojevic. The attacks, which officials are calling "a politically-motivated assassination," began around 2am when the suspect, dressed in a vest, blue pants, and shirt, posed as a law enforcement officer and opened fire inside the home of state Sen. John Hoffman in Champlin. Both Hoffman and his wife were seriously wounded. Moments later, the gunman moved on to the Brooklyn Park residence of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman. He fatally shot the Democrat and her husband before engaging in a gunfight with responding officers. The shooter managed to flee on foot and remains at large. Governor Tim Walz, who had been scheduled to speak at one of the now-cancelled anti-Trump rallies, described the killings as a targeted political attack. 'This was a politically-motivated assassination,' Walz said. In response, state officials issued an urgent warning to Minnesotans, asking them to avoid demonstrations across the state 'out of an abundance of caution.' 'Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today's planned demonstrations across Minnesota,' state patrol said in a statement. The attack sent shockwaves across the state, with organizers of several 'No Kings' protests opting to cancel events in the wake of the tragedy. But some demonstrations went ahead regardless, despite warnings of further potential threats. Police continue to search for Boelter, while also combing through the materials in his abandoned vehicle, including the chilling flyers, to determine whether the shooting spree was part of a broader plot. Officials are expected to provide further updates as the manhunt and investigation progress.
