by Declan Taylor

RISING star Jesse Rodriguez is a big favourite to retain his WBC super-flyweight title in Philadelphia on Saturday night when he takes on Pedro Guevara.

But the reality is, the 35-year-old Mexican is a hugely experienced former world champion with more knockouts than Bam has even had fights. We take a look at the top three victories for both men.

JESSE RODRIGUEZ 3 BEST WINS

Vs Carlos Cuadras, February 5, 2022, Phoenix – UD 12

This was the fight that catapulted Bam towards superstardom. The 22-year-old was supposed to be facing Fernando Diaz at flyweight on this bill but when Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled out of the main event, Bam stepped in to fight for the 115lb world title. And, despite facing one of the leading super-flyweights of the generation, the youngster did the business, famously dropping Cuadras in round three en route to a wide unanimous decision. A star was well and truly born.

Vs Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, June 25, 2022, San Antonio – TKO 8

Just four months after his breakout win over Cuadras, Bam was at it again. This time he took apart the iconic Thai fighter Sor Rungvisai in style. The Texan controlled the opening stages and then turned up the heat at the halfway mark. Inside a minute of the seventh round he landed a huge left hook from his southpaw stance to drop the veteran. The finish came in the next round when Bam pinned his opponent against the ropes and unloaded to head and body forcing referee Mark Calo-oy to wave it off after 1:50 of the eighth.

Rodriguez (R) had to get up off the floor to beat Estrada (L). (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)

Vs Juan Francisco Estrada, June 29, 2024, Phoenix – KO 7

While his route to the top has been reasonably serene, in this one he had to show his guts by climbing off the floor to win. Mexican legend Juan Francisco had already been down in the fourth round but he rallied back to drop Bam in the sixth. As we entered the seventh this all-action thriller was delicately poised with each fighter up on one card each with the other one level. But with seconds left in the seventh, Rodriguez sunk a devastating left hook into his opponent’s body. Although he did his best to rise, there was absolutely no recovering from a punch like that.

PEDRO GUEVARA 3 BEST WINS

Yaegashi (L) amd Guevara (R) in action during their 2014 bout. (Photo credit: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP via Getty Images)

Vs Akira Yaegashi, December 30, 2014, Tokyo – KO 7

Guevara had lost on his first challenge for a world title, when John Riel Casemiro beat him narrowly on points in August 2012. But 18 months later, Guevara fought outside Mexico for the first time, travelling to Japan to face Akira Yaegashi for the WBC light-flyweight title. And He would return to his homeland with the belt in his hand luggage after closing the show with a sizzling left hook to the body 15 seconds before the end of the seventh that stopped Yaegashi instantly.

Vs Richard Claveras, April 11, 2015, Mazatlan – TKO 1

Not many had backed ‘Explosive’ Richard Claveras to beat Guevara as he made the first defence of his new WBC title but the Filipino was undefeated and had a reputation as a puncher. But the champion wasted no time despatching his visitor, walking him down and doing the damage with that left hook to the body once again. Claveras’ head was clear but he just could not reach his feet in time to beat the count. The official time was 2:31 of R1.

Vs Andrew Moloney, May 12, 2024, Perth – SD 12

Guevara secured this shot at Rodriguez’s title via a narrow points win over home favourite Andrew Moloney in Perth in May. The fight, which was for the interim version of the WBC super-flyweight title, could not have been closer with Humberto Olivares and Zanashir Taznaa scoring Guevara a 115-113 winner, rendering Samantha Bulner’s 116-113 card in favour of Moloney obsolete. Not only did this win set up a crack at Bam but also represented his first win over 12 rounds at super-fly.