By: Sean Crose
The vacant WBO flyweight title was on the line Saturday night as the 17-0 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez battled the 15-1 Cristian Gonzalez. The bout, which was aired live on the DAZN streaming service, was scheduled for 12. Rodriguez started applying pressure immediately in the first, while Gonzalez tried to apply a more slippery fighting style. With that being said, it was Gonzalez who was connecting well at round’s end. Gonzalez continued to be able to pick his shots in the second, though the aggressive Rodriguez was able to turn up the heat by the end of the round.
Rodriguez simply seemed unable to keep up with this man in the third. The battle was fast paced, but it was belonging to Gonzalez. Indeed, Gonzalez appeared to pick away at the charging Rodriguez in the fourth. Credit had to be given to Rodriguez in the fifth – he simply would not stop coming at his opponent. By the end of the round, Gonzalez was breathing heavy. The sixth saw Rodriguez able to land on his man. Was the tide changing?
Gonzalez looked sharp in the seventh, but Rodriguez continued to keep up the pressure in the eighth. The fight maintained its furious pace in the ninth. Rodriguez was able to catch his man in the tenth, but Gonzalez was able to fight well defensively for the most part. Rodriguez was able to tag Gonzalez several times in the eleventh. Both men fought hard and well in the twelfth and final round, though Rodriguez may have edged it.
Suffice to say, Rodriguez was able to walk out of the ring with the WBO belt in his possession courtesy of a unanimous decision nod from the judges.