In just two years, including Sunny Edwards’ ninth-round corner retirement, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez has built an impressive knockout streak. His latest victory, a tenth-round stoppage of Phumelela Cafu, strengthens his case as a future Hall of Famer. Now a unified super flyweight champion, Rodriguez is set to appear on the David Benavidez–Anthony Yarde headline card on November 22. He will face WBA champion Fernando Martinez in a bid to add a third belt to his collection. For a 25-year-old, his list of accomplishments in a sport as competitive as boxing is nothing short of astonishing.

But in some quarters, his actions appeared inadequate. Reportedly, questions were raised about whether Bam Rodriguez ignored a Mexican cultural celebration, choosing instead to attend a felicitation ceremony in Puerto Rico, where he received his WBO belt. For the San Antonio-born boxer, the criticism felt like a low blow. Like his childhood friend, welterweight champion Mario Barrios, Rodriguez takes immense pride in his Mexican heritage. In response, it seems he decided to follow in Jake Paul‘s footsteps. Enough with the false claims. Just as Paul once threatened legal action against those who alleged his fight was rigged, Rodriguez threatened a lawsuit against the rumor mongers.

It’s still unclear what exactly the entity referred to as @La Bonita del Boxeo said that upset the otherwise calm and composed Jesse Rodriguez. A Reddit post surfaced showing a cryptic message, which read (translated to English): “In the end, the WBO had to cancel everything, and the mariachis left playing ‘Las Golondrinas.’ Just kidding, guys—don’t believe it!”

American 🇺🇸🇺🇸 boxer Bam Rodriguez responds to the accusations that he disowned Mexico 🌮🇲🇽 and threatens to sue the account behind the rumor.
byu/WRXSTl inBoxing

The post also features a supposed clarification from the entity, which reads: “Good afternoon, Mr. Rodriguez. First of all, I want to apologize for all the damage we caused to you and your family. It was a joke that got out of control. I said it was a joke in the post, but apparently some other pages didn’t write that.”

However, it was clearly not to Jesse Rodriguez’s liking. He didn’t mince words in making his intentions clear. “It has come to my attention that La Bonita Del Boxeco is the account that started the spreading of false and defamatory information about me,” his statement read.

He expressed confusion about why they would stoop to such a level. However, as a result of their actions, he has apparently become the target of hateful messages. “The only reason I chose to post this is due to the fact that I am still receiving hateful messages from people who chose to believe this information. This type of behavior is not only harmful, it is legally actionable,” he said. It seems Bam has documented the ‘posts in question’ and indicated that if La Bonita del Boxeo continues spreading defamatory content, he might pursue legal action.

Though initially confusing, the picture becomes clearer when one follows the messages posted by certain users.

This should leave no room for doubt

A fan probed for the message that troubled Rodriguez. So one user explained, “They were mad he went to PR to get his new belt (from a PR organization) that he had just won… idiots, man, lol.” The message from the WBO seems to point in a similar direction.

“We are aware of false information circulating online suggesting that Jesse “Bam” Rodríguez cancelled a Mexican-themed celebration during his WBO championship belt presentation in Puerto Rico.
This claim is completely false,” read a message posted on the WBO’s official social media channels.

According to the WBO, the event was solely intended to honor Rodriguez’s achievements in boxing. Not to serve as a cultural showcase. They emphasized that he deeply values his heritage, with his Mexican roots being a central part of his identity and motivation. Throughout the event, he conducted himself with professionalism and respect.

So they reaffirmed his cultural identity and rejected any suggestion of disrespect. The WBO concluded its message with a strong declaration: “We stand by our champion. 100% Hispanic. 100% proud. ¡Viva México! 🇲🇽”

Fans should stay tuned as the situation continues to unfold.

If Bam defeats Martinez in November, should he pursue the undisputed title? Or move up a division to face Junto Nakatani?