“Bam” Rodriguez Wins WBA Belt Over Gritty Antonio Vargas

Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez became a three-division world champion by defeating WBA bantamweight champion Antonio Vargas via sixth-round TKO in Arizona. Vargas put up a strong early performance, outworking Rodriguez in the opening rounds and nearly pulling off an upset, but Rodriguez ultimately stopped him in round six. The victory is seen as a stepping stone toward a potential future matchup with WBC/IBF bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue in late 2026 or early 2027.