July 19 win for Bam Rodriguez leads to unification bout with Fernando Martinez at Riyadh Season
Jul 4, 2025
1 min read
Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) vs. Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) could be for three of the four titles at junior bantamweight. In two weeks, Rodriguez faces WBO junior bantamweight champion Phumelele Cafu at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
An already stacked Riyadh Season card in November could add another huge fight.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh announced that WBC junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez will face WBA champion Fernando “Pumita” Martinez in a unification bout.
That bout joins a card that already includes WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde, WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. vs Devin Haney and Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) vs. Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) could be for three of the four titles at junior bantamweight. In two weeks, Rodriguez faces WBO junior bantamweight champion Phumelele Cafu at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Whether Rodriguez vs Martinez happens will depend on the result of that July 19 fight with Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KOs).
Rodriguez is a minus-2500 favorite entering the bout vs. Cafu, according to DraftKings.
Rodriguez, 25, who is No. 7 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, has won three straight fights inside the distance, including a seventh-round knockout of Juan Francisco Estrada in 2024.
In his last outing, the two-division champion stopped Pedro Guevara in the third round on Nov. 9.
Martinez, 33, would enter the November clash on the back of two straight unanimous decision victories over Kazuto Ioka in Japan.
Analysis
Noticias de combate
Next
Conor Benn believes he should have won a decision
Can you beat Coppinger?
Lock in your fantasy picks on rising stars and title contenders for a shot at $100,000 and exclusive custom boxing merch.
Partners
