Second time fortunate, at the least that’s what Jonathan Rodriguez is hoping.
Rodriguez, rated at No. 10 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, will problem Kosei Tanaka for the WBO title at Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday.
“My solely thought is to develop into a world champion,” Rodriguez (25-2-1, 17 knockouts) informed The Ring by promoter Paco Damian. “I’m working very onerous, I’m very motivated. We all know the duty forward, he is a superb champion and nice fighter however my goal to develop into a world champion.”
The 28-year-old father of two from San Luis Potosi, Mexico could be very respectful of the four-division titleholder’s potential but in addition see’s areas he can exploit and expects Tanaka’s model to mesh properly along with his and produce a fan-friendly combat.
“He has an attractive left hand, that’s the one we’ve been cautious [of] we’ve been making ready and coaching for that,” he mentioned. “His left hand is quicker than his ft. He’s not very quick along with his leg motion. He typically stays stationary.
“He additionally receives punishment, he likes to commute, we do too. We’re going to placed on plenty of strain [on him.] What we noticed is that plenty of the time when he’s within the mid-range or when he will get exchanging, he will get hit. We noticed that [in his only loss] towards [Kazuto] Ioka within the three knockdowns he suffered and our plan is to place plenty of strain on and work onerous round-by-round and hopefully in direction of the top we’ll be capable to get a stoppage. It’s going to be very troublesome to do however we’re working very onerous for it. We all know the significance of this chance.”
The combat will finish a 12 months of inactivity for Rodriguez. Nonetheless, there are a couple of causes for that.
“One of many causes was I suffered a knee harm on my left knee, we needed to go to remedy, we needed to deal with it, we’ve to provide it a superb time to heal,” he defined. “Now we’re completely wholesome, we’re working very onerous and now I’m 100%.”
Nonetheless, his coach and supervisor Marco Rodriguez (no relation), who has educated him since 2020 and had put “Titan” by an 8-week coaching camp in Monterrey, Mexico, needed to increase on that.
“In addition to the knee harm there are different elements. It’s very unlucky that some corporations in Mexico didn’t need to give us the chance, typically that is what’s what it’s, ‘You are taking it and also you’re with me or we don’t provide you with something.’ So, plenty of the time with the little energy they’ve, there are only a few promoters in Mexico which have a cope with TV, so plenty of the time they prefer to reap the benefits of the fighters, they know, it’s us or no one,” he elaborated. “We’re very grateful we met Paco, we all know he at all times finds alternatives for the fighters and that’s precisely what he did, we’re very completely happy we signed with him.”
In the meantime Rodriguez doesn’t really feel the day without work will hinder him.
“No, I’m very motivated, I don’t see it as one thing towards me,” he mentioned. “I really feel sensible within the ring, I’m going to place [on] plenty of strain and this isn’t going to be a distraction or one thing I believe is towards me. I’m going to organize very properly, I’m very motivated and I’m going there to win.”
This may current Rodriguez along with his second world title alternative having come up quick towards Jerwin Ancajas (UD 12) in 2021.
“It was a tricky combat towards a fighter that had plenty of expertise, fairly a couple of title defenses,” he defined. “And on my aspect, I felt I used to be very inexperienced. Why? As a result of I had by no means had by no means fought in america on a giant stage like that. I’ve to confess, I used to be just a little bit nervous, the primary time leaving my dwelling nation to combat some place else for such a fantastic large alternative.
“I take that as an expertise that isn’t going to occur this time towards Tanaka. I really feel I’ve the qualities now to do very properly towards him in Japan.”
Damian, who’s a disciple of the late, nice corridor of fame promoter Don Chargin, is optimistic having bought Rodriguez the title shot that his fighter can now go one additional and develop into champion.
“That is a tremendous combat, I reside for these moments,” mentioned Damian, who flew with the workforce to Japan on July 11. “Having the underdog, going to the house of the promoter and having a man like Jonathan Rodriguez, a fighter, I do know who’s going to depart the whole lot contained in the ring. To have the ability to give such a alternative to those guys.
“[When] my good pal, Don Chargin, died, I assumed I’m going to retire however afterward I mirrored and although, “On a regular basis he put in me, the whole lot he taught me, it might be a waste.” I made a decision to remain and I need to do precisely what is occurring to Jonathan. It was onerous for him to get respectable fights, plenty of the time they attempt to pay you subsequent to nothing while you if you end up in Mexico for robust fights. That’s why I made a decision to remain, to provide these form of fighters a possibility to alter their lives. To combat for a world title is the very best factor a fighter can do. When you win you develop into a world champion, that’s all I can do for you. The remaining is on you, all of the onerous work, the additional minute you run, the additional spherical you hit the bag, the additional mile, that’s on you.
“He has to prepare, he has to get be motivated to attain greatness. However I do consider when you’ve a child like this, they’re hungry, they’re trying and ready for this chance, they’re not going to go that far simply to lose. They’re going to provide us a fantastic combat whatever the final result it’s going to be an unimaginable combat.”
Tanaka has dwelling benefit and extra championship seasoning than Rodriguez. Nonetheless, I consider stylistically it is a robust one for each males. I believe Tanaka has extra finesse however Rodriguez will probably be robust and preserve coming. I anticipate each to have interaction and that fits the challenger, who I might see pulling off the upset by scoring a late stoppage win.
Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs), rated at No. 4 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, gained the WBO strawweight title from Julian Yedras (UD 12) in his fifth combat and made one protection. He then moved as much as junior flyweight and gained the vacant WBO title and made two defenses. The Japanese star outgrew that division and edged Sho Kimura (MD 12) to win the WBO flyweight title. He made three defenses of that one, notably outboxing former unified junior flyweight titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi (UD 12) and stopping present WBO 108-pound titlist Jonathan Gonzalez (TKO 7).
The now 29-year-old jumped to 115 kilos however was brutally stopped by then-WBO titleholder Kazuto Ioka (TKO 8). He regained his confidence with 4 wins earlier than changing into a four-weight world champion by besting Christian Bacasegua (UD 12) for the vacant WBO 115-pound title in February.
Questions and/or feedback could be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
