Bam Rodriguez replaces belts with a new challenge

By Norm Frauenheim

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has formally said goodbye to superfly, all in a quest for the challenges he hopes will lead to the biggest one of all:

Naoya Inoue

That’s not exactly a secret anymore. Talk — and perhaps some real momentum — has been building for a Bam-Inoue showdown.

Now, that possibility enters a new stage, one evident by what was missing Thursday at a formal news conference for his bantamweight debut against 118-pound champion Antonio Vargas Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in a DAZN-streamed bout.

Bam wasn’t seated behind the collection of belts that are usually there. They’re gone. In boxing-speak, they’ve been vacated to make room for what Bam has said is an “inevitable” showdown with Inoue in what would be the biggest fight ever at the lighter weights.

It was news delivered Wednesday by Bam trainer Robert Garcia, who announced on social media that Bam was relinquishing three of the four.

He’s replacing them with a new challenge at a new weight.

“New challenges are more important to me that just another title defense,’’ said Bam, now a former unified champion who suddenly finds himself in the unfamiliar role of being the challenger.

There are signs that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. Vargas is being called underrated by his corner. Maybe, he is.  On the World Boxing Association’s shuffleboard, he was elevated from secondary to the real 118-pound champion a couple of weeks ago. Vargas’ credentials include experience against some of the world’s best, including Shakur Stevenson, who beat him as an amateur.

But prohibitive odds suggest that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. He has an opportunity to win a third belt at a third weight. What’s more significant, however, might be in how he performs at bantam. Success at 118 pounds would represent a steppingstone to junior-feather — 122 pounds, Inoue’s current weight.

At 26-years old, Bam has improved with each move up the scale. He also seems to get better with each fight, all victories That plants an inevitable expectation. Just how good can he be?

“I feel like I haven’t shown 50 percent of who I’ll be,’’ Bam said during Thursday’s newser.

If accurate, half of what Bam’s potential already is good enough to put him among the top five in virtually every pound for-pound rating, many of which have Inoue at No. 1

For now, at least, the question is what Inoue plans to do. Since his victory over Junto Nakatani in front 55,000 Japanese fans in Tokyo, he’s been quiet. Still, there’s talk that he’ll move up to 126 pounds, featherweight.

Garcia believes that would be a move intended to keep him away from a date with the San Antonio fighter.

“Take a look at 126,’’ said Garcia, who agrees that fans have yet to see the best Bam. “There’s nobody at 126 who would make a better fight than one against Bam.

“Moving up to 126 would say that he doesn’t want to fight Bam.’’

For now, the only relevant measurement is Bam’s first time at 118. There’s been talk about a further move up the scale to 122-pounds before a speculated date – December or January — against Inoue.

“But I can only make the right decision based on what I see Saturday night,’’ Garcia said. “I can’t be thinking about more before I see him at 118.’’