What does it take to become a world champion in boxing? Discipline, a strict diet, pushing your body to the limits, and sometimes even sacrificing personal, cherished moments. That’s exactly the journey of multi-titleholder Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who last night put everything aside to face Fernando Martinez in the ring at the highly anticipated ‘Night of the Champions.’

Already undefeated, the Texas native lived up to his reputation by knocking out Martinez with a decisive left hook in the 10th round. With that victory, he not only claimed the WBA 115-pound championship but also, at Saudi Arabia’s ANB Arena, unified the WBA, WBC, and EBO junior bantamweight belts. He also extended his unbeaten streak to 23 wins. After the fight, Rodriguez shared a heartfelt message for his newborn son, once again celebrating this milestone with his family.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez shares heartfelt feelings about missing his son’s birth at Ring IV

Heading into the fight, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez was on the verge of becoming a father. His partner’s due date was here, but Saudi boxing promoter Turki Al-Sheikh had announced the bout months earlier in July. Consequently, the Texas native had to travel to Saudi Arabia, securing a substantial paycheck for the high-stakes matchup. After the fight, emotion overtook Rodriguez as he reflected on missing the birth of his son, Milo.

He revealed, “I could cry right now because, you know, that’s the birth of my son and I miss being here. So it’s hard for me, but it paid off. You know, he’ll understand when he’s a little bit older. I did it not only for him, but for my daughter too. My girlfriend, you know, she helps me get to the training camps. I’m very thankful for her. I love her a lot. I love my family a lot. So this one is for them.”

Of Spanish ancestry, Jesse Rodriguez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He has been in a long-term relationship with Rebecca Delic since 2020. The couple already has a daughter named Mila, and with the arrival of Milo, their family is now complete. Naturally, his recent victory at Ring IV made the sacrifice worthwhile.

Before this fight, Rodriguez was a free agent after his contract with Matchroom Boxing expired. However, CEO Frank Smith later confirmed the continuation of their partnership. Ultimately, Jesse Rodriguez signed a multi-fight contract extension with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.

Rodriguez opens up on pursuing boxing despite his mother’s opposition

Jesse Rodriguez is now regarded as one of the best fighters in the world, a sentiment shared by Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn, who considers Rodriguez among his top talents. For Hearn, Rodriguez is a true pound-for-pound star. Despite his current status, Rodriguez’s journey into boxing was far from easy. His elder brother, former world champion Joshua Franco, had already blazed the trail. Inspired by Franco’s path, ‘Bam’ eventually earned his mother’s approval to pursue the sport.

Reflecting on his childhood in an interview with The Sun, Jesse Rodriguez revealed, “He always wanted to box, but my mum never let him. And then just one day, I guess she randomly had a change of mind and decided to let him go try it out. So being a little brother, I wanted to be like my big brother and follow in the footsteps of him. So he went for about two weeks, and I would go just to watch. And then on that third week I decided to give it a try and just stuck with it ever since.”

Before turning professional, the Texan had a total of 21 amateur bouts, capturing several junior titles. Inspired by his boxing heroes, he made the leap to the professional ranks at just 17. He added, “My brother’s actually the reason why I wanted to turn pro so early. I turned pro at 17 years old. At 15 years old, he made his professional debut.”

Recognizing his talent, Jesse Rodriguez’s mother supported his boxing journey, knowing the world would have missed out on a true prodigy otherwise. Remarkably, on just five days’ notice, he launched his sensational rise by capturing the WBC flyweight belt.