June 14 (Reuters) - Undefeated Jesse Rodriguez stopped fellow American Antonio Vargas in the sixth round to become the WBA bantamweight world champion, capturing a title in a third weight division after the flyweight and super flyweight divisions.
Rodriguez distracted his opponent with a body shot and a looping right hand before landing a straight left, making Vargas buckle to his knees and collapse on the canvas in front of a stunned Arizona crowd.
Saturday night's victory extended 26-year-old Rodriguez's
professional record to 24-0, and reignited the conversation around a long-awaited clash with unified super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
"He was a lot tougher than I thought," Rodriguez said about Vargas, whom he had knocked down in the fourth round.
"Even after that first knockdown, he got up and he was fighting like it never even happened. Respect to him."
It was Rodriguez's first time fighting at the 118-pound (53.5 kg) division. Japan's Inoue, who is 33 years old, is also undefeated with a 33-0 record, and has been the undisputed 122-pound (55.3 kg) champion since 2023.
"For me, it's the two pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, the best," Rodriguez's promoter Eddie Hearn said about a fight with Inoue.
"We've got a long-term future in the sport, belts to collect at 118 pounds. But for me, that fight is inevitable. If the right offer comes... (Rodriguez) will be there. And trust me when I say he ain't getting beat."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)
