One of boxing's brightest young stars is officially on the open market, and the bidding war has already begun. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the multi-division world champion who has dominated the lower weight classes with surgical precision, remains unsigned to any promotional company as competing offers flood in from boxing's biggest power brokers.
Trainer and manager Robert Garcia confirmed to Fight Hub TV that Rodriguez strategically allowed his existing promotional contract to expire before exploring what the market had to offer. The move has triggered an aggressive courtship from multiple promoters, with Zuffa Boxing—UFC parent company's foray into the sweet science, making what Garcia described as a “huge” offer for the San Antonio phenom's services.
“We haven't signed anything,” Garcia revealed. “Bam did tell me, ‘See what's out there.' So I did my job and saw what's out there.”
The declaration places Rodriguez in rare air for fighters at his weight class, where promotional leverage is often limited compared to the sport's marquee divisions. His championship credentials and recent knockout victory over Julio Cesar “Puma” Martinez in a dominant 10th-round stoppage have elevated his market value to unprecedented levels for a super flyweight titleholder.
Matchroom Boxing, which has guided Rodriguez through his ascension to three-belt champion status, is fighting to retain their prized asset. Garcia indicated that Eddie Hearn's UK-based promotional outfit has “matched most of the things” in Zuffa's aggressive proposal, with lawyers now reviewing the final details of a potential retention deal.
“We should have something by this week,” Garcia stated, suggesting Rodriguez's promotional limbo may be short-lived.
The strategic timing reflects Rodriguez's growing business sophistication. Rather than accepting an automatic renewal, the 24-year-old instructed Garcia to test his value across the promotional landscape, creating competitive tension that typically only manifests at welterweight and above.
Garcia's revelation that Zuffa has entered the bidding represents a significant development. The UFC's parent company venturing aggressively into boxing with Rodriguez as a potential flagship signing could reshape promotional dynamics in divisions historically overlooked by mainstream American audiences .
Whichever promotional banner Rodriguez eventually signs with will gain not only a technically brilliant champion but also one of boxing's most marketable young talents, a fighter whose attacking style and knockout power transcend the usual commercial limitations of the lower weight classes.
