Rodriguez says Vargas tougher than expected in sixth-round stoppage

Jesse Rodriguez has praised the resilience of his opponent after stopping Vargas in the sixth round to retain his WBA bantamweight title. The flyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light flyweight champion said he had to stay cautious throughout.

“I felt great and that I did everything right. We knew that would be the outcome, but Vargas was a lot tougher than I expected. He had good pop in his punches, too, and I had to stay careful. Thankfully, I was able to get him out of there in the sixth, and that was all she wrote.”

— Jesse Rodriguez, via Ring Magazine

What Jesse Rodriguez said

Rodriguez entered the bout as a heavy favourite but found himself tested by Vargas's power. The champion controlled the fight from the opening bell and finished matters in round six, extending his reign over the bantamweight division. Rodriguez now holds the WBA strap at 118 pounds.

What it moves

Rodriguez is expected to face mandatory challengers at bantamweight or move between divisions. The performance showed his adaptability under pressure, and promoters will likely target a unification bout or a step up in weight. Vargas exits with credit despite the defeat.

Source: ringmagazine.com. Full Jesse Rodriguez fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.