By: Sean Crose
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the 22-year-old undefeated WBC super flyweight champion of the world slipped mid-string at Vegas’ T-Mobil Arena on Saturday night to beat Israel Gonzalez 28-4-1 in a title match expected for 12 rounds. This is Rodriguez’s first 16-0 title defense as well as the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin 3 pay-per-view card co-main event.
The pace was quick and sharp in the first, with both throwing and landing solid shots, and Gonzalez maneuvered his body wisely. The second round was close and exciting but nampaw Rodriguez did a better job, simply throwing and delivering more punches. Rodriguez continued to effectively push the action into the third round, but Gonzalez was constantly able to find his target with straight, stinging punches.
Wednesday is a powerhouse affair, with each man throwing out thunder. The pacing and action still linger in the fifth season, though fiery Rodriguez seems to have weathered it. Season six is a war of attrition with each man throwing so often and so intensely that sometimes witnessing literal pain, much less bearable as a warrior. What made the seventh extraordinary was that both men were able to maintain essentially the same dizzying pace they had established in the previous innings. However, Rodriguez’s shots seemed to have harmed Gonzalez.
Time called for the eighth for a chance clash of heads. The action continued and Rodriguez seemed to begin to assert control of the game, but two low hits on Gonzalez caused the referee to deduct a point for the defending champion. Rodriguez continued to work with Gonzalez in ninth, perhaps giving himself the edge going into the later rounds. The tenth case was a high-octane one – but it was Rodriguez who had the clear upper hand.
Gonzalez beat another low hit in the eleventh inning. Rodriguez then continued to dominate the round. Gonzalez put up a 110% rate in the 12th and final half, but he was way ahead of Rodriguez anyway. He held on to his title with scores of 118-109, 117-110, 114-113
