By Norm Frauenheim –
PHOENIX, AZ — On the scale, there was no difference between them. Not even a single ounce.
In a weigh-in that might be a hint at how close a DAZN-streamed fight for the almost mythical SuperFly title might be Saturday night at Footprint Center, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada were at the limit, 115-pounds each.
The only surprise, perhaps, was the crowd Friday night for a so-called ceremonial weigh-in at a re-done old building in the city’s warehouse district a couple of miles south of Footprint.
The official weigh-in, conducted by the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission behind closed doors at a downtown hotel, happened about nine hours earlier.
The ceremonial version was for show, and sure enough Mexican and Mexican-American fans showed up, most of them for Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s
defending champion.
They chanted his nickname.
El Gallo filled the old room as he stepped on to the scale.
El Gallo echoed through the place as he stepped off.
“They are here for me and more will be Saturday night,’’ said the accomplished Estrada, the son of a Mexican fisherman who grew up about 215 miles south of Phoenix in a town, Puerto Penasco, located at the top of the Gulf of California.
Despite the title belt, Estrada goes into the bout as betting underdog. The odds are dictated by time. Estrada hasn’t fought since a narrow decision over iconic Ramon Gonzalez 19 months ago in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.
More significant perhaps are the years not included on a traditional tale of tape.
The 34-year old Estrada is a decade older than Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs), an emerging 24-year-old Mexican-American from San Antonio.
Rodriguez heard the chants and smiled at Estrada as they stood across from each other and stared into each other’s eyes during the ritual face-off for the cameras.
“This is another day for me, a day at the office’’ Rodriguez said. “I’ve been getting ready for this moment for a long time.’’
Still, Rodriguez’ deep-seated respect for Estrada was also evident. For years, Rodriguez looked at Estrada and saw a hero.
Now, he sees a rival.
“This the biggest fight of my life,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s also a fight I’ve been preparing for for most of my life.’’
