Jesse Rodriguez (boxer)

During his amateur career, Rodríguez won two U.S. National Youth Championships (in 2015 and 2016), as well as the 2016 U.S. Junior Open Tournament.[5][6] At the international level, he won the silver medal at the 2015 Junior World Championships.[7]

Rodríguez made his professional debut against Mauricio Cruz on March 10, 2017, winning by unanimous decision. By the end of 2019, Rodríguez amassed a 10–0 record, with six of those victories coming by way of stoppage.[8]

Rodríguez was scheduled to face Marco Sustaita on February 29, 2020, on the undercard of the Mikey Garcia versus Jessie Vargas bout. Rodríguez won the fight by eighth-round technical knockout.[9] Rodríguez was next scheduled to face the one-time WBC light flyweight title challenger Janiel Rivera on September 5, 2020. He won the fight by a first-round knockout, managing to drop Rivera three times by the 2 minute mark of the opening round.[10][11] Rodríguez was scheduled to fight Saul Juarez on December 12, 2020, on the undercard of the Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn Clary junior lightweight bout.[12] Rodríguez lived up to his role as the significant betting favorite,[13] knocking Juarez out in the second.[14]

Rodríguez was expected to challenge the reigning WBA (Regular) champion Esteban Bermudez in late 2021, however the fight was later cancelled as it didn't receive approval from the WBA.[15] Rodríguez was instead scheduled to face Jose Alejandro Burgos on October 16, 2021,[16] whom he beat by a fourth-round knockout.[17]

Rodriguez was expected to face Fernando Diaz for the WBC USNBC flyweight title on February 5, 2022, on the undercard of the WBC super-flyweight title bout between Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras.[18] Soon after this fight was revealed, it was announced that Rodriguez had signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.[19] On January 31, it was announced that Srisaket had withdrawn from his bout with Cuadras, and would be replaced on a five-days notice by Rodriguez. It was Rodriguez's first super-flyweight fight since December 1, 2018.[20] Rodriguez won the fight by unanimous decision. Two judges scored the fight 117–110 for him, while the third judge scored the bout 115–112 in his favor. He scored the sole knockdown of the fight in the third round, flooring the former titleholder with a right uppercut. Winning the title made Rodriguez the youngest active titlist in the sport.[21]

Rodriguez is scheduled to make his first title defense against the former The Ring magazine, lineal and WBC super flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on June 25, 2022. The title bout was booked as the main event of a DAZN broadcast card, which will take place at the Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas.[22]