Former WBC, WBA and WBO super flyweight world champion Jesse Rodriguez is eyeing a fight against WBC bantamweight world champion Takuma Inoue before meeting super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
"We're really looking forward to fighting WBC champion Takuma Inoue. It would be the perfect fight to build momentum leading up to the fight against Naoya (Inoue)," said Jesse Rodriguez's trainer and manager, Robert Garcia, in a report from The Ring, which was monitored in Jakarta on Thursday.
Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) earned wins over Juan Francisco Estrada, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Sunny Edwards and Carlos Cuadras during 2022-24, marking him as a perennial top player in boxing.
The Mexican-American boxer is set to make his bantamweight debut against Antonio Vargas on June 13.
The bout is designed to expedite Rodriguez's move up to super bantamweight to face WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO belt holder Naoya Inoue.
The reigning champion from Japan just secured a unanimous decision victory over Junto Nakatani to retain his title and maintain his undefeated record of 33 wins, including 27 knockouts (KO).
Garcia said that Rodriguez is already known as a "legend killer" so there is no better fighter to fight right now than Naoya Inoue.
"I think the timing is perfect, if they finally fight early next year. By then, we'll have a lot of answers at 118 pounds," he said.
He stated that before fighting Inoue, he would like to fight Inoue's brother, Takuma Inoue. However, if Takuma doesn't want that fight, Rodriguez will face WBO champion Christian Medina.
"It'll be a good test to see where we stand in terms of moving up to super bantamweight. We'll know more after the Vargas fight, but we definitely want the fight against Naoya Inoue, 100 percent," he said.
Garcia added that Rodriguez's time as a super flyweight fighter is likely over, especially if he continues to consider a fight with Inoue.
According to him, he doesn't see a big difference in body size between Rodriguez and Naoya. Both are moving up from lower weight classes.
Naoya, he said, is more developed and has more experience as a super bantamweight fighter, and Rodriguez has never fought at bantamweight.
"But Jesse has the ability to compete against the best in the world, and he wants to fight Inoue," he said.
