BAM SHINES AS BOOTS COASTS PAST CHUKHADZHIAN
On a weekend filled with boxing highs and lows, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez stole the show, becoming the first to stop Pedro Guevara with an explosive performance that saw him retain his WBC World Super-Flyweight Title.
The action-packed weekend began in Montreal on Thursday night, where highly-rated super-middleweight Osleys Iglesias defended his IBO 168 lbs title against previously undefeated Ukrainian, Petro Ivanov. Riding high on a streak of six straight stoppage wins, Cuban Iglesias extended that streak to seven with a fifth-round TKO of Ivanov, securing his title in emphatic fashion. Despite flying somewhat under the radar, Iglesias is now closing in on a potential 2025 matchup with Canelo, and a win over a notable opponent early next year could put him in pole position for that lucrative fight.
Friday night brought the spotlight to Keyshawn Davis, who faced Gustavo Lemos in an eventful bout. After Lemos initially weighed in 6.5 lbs over the lightweight limit, the fight seemed doubtful, but the Argentine managed to make weight at the morning weigh-in, allowing the bout to proceed. Known for his slower starts, Olympic silver medalist Davis came out with uncharacteristic aggression, planting his feet from the first bell. The toll of Lemos's weight cut was evident as Davis scored three knockdowns in the second round, ending the fight with a clear statement. Davis wasted no time in his post-fight interview, calling out WBA World Lightweight champ Gervonta Davis, a clash fans would eagerly anticipate in 2025.
Saturday night’s lineup in Philadelphia was expected to see Bam Rodriguez and Jaron Ennis take the spotlight, but it was Khalil Coe who sparked the first major upset of the night. Facing Manuel Gallegos, Coe struggled with his opponent’s relentless pace and aggression. Gallegos, who had suffered a quick stoppage against Diego Pacheco in his last outing, delivered four knockdowns to Coe before the referee waved off the fight. This shocking upset could be a valuable learning experience for Coe’s future career.
Former WBA World Featherweight champ Ray Ford rebounded from his first career loss to Nick Ball with a commanding points victory over Orlando Gonzalez, setting the stage for Rodriguez’s co-main event performance—a statement of the night.
Bam Rodriguez came out intent on sticking to the script, wasting no time with a blitzing offensive onslaught against Guevara, who seemed unable to respond. By the third round, after two knockdowns, it was all over. Rodriguez’s clinical, composed performance reaffirmed his place as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters. Rodriguez's showcase was sure to have caught the eye of Turki Alalshikh, with Eddie Hearn already hinting at a potential fight between Rodriguez and the legendary Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez on a Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia—a matchup with passing-of-the-torch potential and sure to thrill fans.
In the main event, hometown star Jaron Ennis faced Karen Chukhadzhian in a rematch. Ennis entered with a clear goal: improve on his previous shutout points win with a stoppage victory. After landing a devastating right uppercut that floored Chukhadzhian in the fifth round, the stoppage seemed imminent. But Chukhadzhian showed resilience, biting down on his gumshield and rallying to win exchanges in three of the last seven rounds. The Ukrainian even managed to land more punches on Ennis than any of his previous 31 opponents, giving the Philadelphia native a tougher night than anticipated.
Though Ennis fans may have hoped for a knockout, Ennis secured a solid victory and now finds himself well-positioned for big-money matchups with Terence Crawford or Vergil Ortiz Jr.
With another action-packed weekend of boxing in the books, attention now turns to the return of the great Mike Tyson and an exciting Latino-themed card in Saudi Arabia next weekend.