By Norm Frauenheim –
PHOENIX — Super Fly.
Super fight.
Juan Franciso Estrada and Jesse “Bam’’ Rodriguez, little guys with a huge chance at making some history, will fight on June 29 at an arena appropriately named Footprint Center, Matchroom Promotions announced Thursday.
It’s not often that fighters in the smallest weight classes ever occupy the center of boxing or have an opportunity to leave an enduring footprint on the sport’s storied past.
But that rare moment, a potential classic, now looms with Estrada and Rodriguez in a fight for the 115-pound title. Some of the acronyms might classify the weight as junior-bantam.
Sorry, nothing junior about.
Only Super, as in Super Fly.
It was a good movie. A great sound track. Thank you, Curtis Mayfield
It could be a better fight, a master mix of technical skill and head-rocking power.
“What a fight this is,” said Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who first disclosed his plans for Estrada-Rodriguez in late January. https://www.15rounds.com/2024/01/27/eddie-hearn-looking-at-az-for-projected-super-fly-showdown/ “When the best fight the best, excitement is guaranteed, and there’s no doubt that these are two of the best fighters on the planet.
“There are so many plot lines for us all to get our teeth into in the build-up to this incredible clash. But when the bell goes, the talking will stop, and we will be treated to something very special.’’
Hearn, a London promoter, made the announcement about an hour before the weigh-in for the Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson junior-lightweight fight Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale.
The weigh-in was staged at a downtown Phoenix hotel, within a couple of blocks of Footprint, the Suns home arena.
Initially, there were reports that the Estrada-Rodriguez would go to Desert Diamond, where Rodriguez beat UK flyweight Sunny Edwards in a violent stoppage last December.
Desert Diamond was booked. But Footprint was available. As it turns out, the move — location, location, location – was like everything else about this bout: It fits.
Footprint is a couple of miles within flyweight Michael Carbajal’s home. He helped open the place early in his Hall of Fame career in 1992. He left his footprint there when it was named after an airline.
Hearn is staging Estrada-Rodriguez in Phoenix, in large part because of a growing city’s traditional enthusiasm for fighters in the lightest weight classes.
“There are a lot of educated fans here,’’ Hearn said in January while in Phoenix for super-middleweight Jaime Munguia’s stoppage of John Ryder.
There are, many fans and fighters say, because of Carbajal, who will have a street in his neighborhood named for him in late April. The Phoenix City Council approved a proposal to do so at a meeting on March 20.
“One-hundred percent, it’s because of Michael,’’ said Rodriguez trainer Robert Garcia, who will work the corners for lightweight Raymond Muratalla against Xolisani Ndongeni and for welterweight Lindolfo Delgado versus Curtis Sanchez on the Valdez-Wilson undercard. “These Phoenix fans grew up with Michael.
“They know who they’re watching, what they’re watching.’’
Rodriguez will be making his third appearance in Phoenix. In December, he beat UK flyweight Sunny Edwards, scoring a violent stoppage at Desert Diamond. In February 2002, he beat Carlos Cuadras, winning a Super Fly title with a unanimous decision at Footprint.
Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is from San Antonio, but there was never much of a chance that the fight would happen in his hometown, Garcia said.
“No,’’ said Garcia, who says Rodriguez had agreed to terms a couple of weeks ago. “We just couldn’t ask Estrada to fight Bam’s hometown.’’
Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s reigning Super Fly champion, is no stranger to the Phoenix area. He scored a majority decision over legendary Roman Gonzalez at Desert Diamond 18 months ago. He hasn’t fought since.
He was born, the son of a Mexican fisherman, in Puerto Penasco, a town that is located at the top of the Gulf of California, about a five-hour drive south of Phoenix – the right place for the right fight.