Naoya Inoue vs Jesse Rodriguez is being talked about as a possible fight next up in a big pound for pound possible collision.
What a fight it would be.
Inoue is fresh off defeating Japanese rival and multi-weight world champion Junto Nakatani by UD at the weekend.
They are both in good form. Here’s a look at the form books in more in-depth research format:
Naoya Inoue – Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Record Entering | Result | Method | Round, Time | Location | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 2026 | Junto Nakatani | 32–0–0 | Win | UD 12 | 12 | Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring super bantamweight |
| 27 Dec 2025 | David Picasso | 32–0–1 | Win | UD 12 | 12 | Mohammed Abdo Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring super bantamweight |
| 14 Sep 2025 | Murodjon Akhmadaliev | 14–1–0 | Win | UD 12 | 12 | IG Arena, Nagoya, Japan | Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring super bantamweight |
| 4 May 2025 | Ramon Cardenas | 26–1–0 | Win | TKO | 8 (12), 0:45 | T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring super bantamweight |
| 24 Jan 2025 | Kim Ye-joon | 21–2–2 | Win | KO | 4 (12), 2:25 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring super bantamweight |
Inoue form line: 5–0–0, 2 KOs/TKOs, 3 decisions. All wins were undisputed super bantamweight title defenses.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Record Entering | Result | Method | Round, Time | Location | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Nov 2025 | Fernando Martínez | 17–0–0 | Win | KO | 10 (12), 1:25 | anb Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Retained WBC, WBO, The Ring super flyweight; Won WBA super flyweight |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Phumelele Cafu | 11–0–3 | Win | TKO | 10 (12), 2:07 | Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas, U.S. | Retained WBC, The Ring super flyweight; Won WBO super flyweight |
| 9 Nov 2024 | Pedro Guevara | 42–4–1 | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 2:47 | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Retained WBC, The Ring super flyweight |
| 29 Jun 2024 | Juan Francisco Estrada | 44–3–0 | Win | KO | 7 (12), 3:00 | Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | Won WBC, The Ring super flyweight |
| 16 Dec 2023 | Sunny Edwards | 20–0–0 | Win | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona, U.S. | Retained WBO flyweight; Won IBF flyweight |
Rodriguez form line: 5–0–0, 5 stoppages.
He moved from flyweight to super flyweight and became 3-belt unified champion.
Inoue is the new pound for pound number one for us and others in the sport after defeating Nakatani.
The fight would be a huge fight in the lower weight classes if made.
In terms of its holding within boxing and internationally as an event as well.
Inoue vs Jesse Rodriguez is certainly possible next.
