The first DAZN bill of 2022 comes from The Footprint Centre in Phoenix, Arizona this Saturday night, with a vacant WBC super flyweight title at stake in the main event between Carlos Cuadras and Jesse Rodriguez.
‘Bam’ Rodriguez steps in at very late notice for Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who had to withdraw from a Cuadras rematch nearly eight years after their original meeting due to illness. Rodriguez was already due to feature on this show, and now steps up from flyweight to face the Mexican.
Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KOs) has held the WBC belt once before, for two years between 2014 and 2016. He won the vacant belt against the aforementioned Srisaket, a technical decision win in Mexico, and he defended six times before being outscored in a thriller with Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.
The 33-year-old’s form since that defeat has been patchy, losing to Juan Francisco Estrada by a single point in 2017, with a tenth round knockdown proving crucial, and his comeback from that also ended in defeat, with McWilliams Arroyo taking a majority verdict in February 2018 over ten.
Three straight wins at a lower level put Cuadras back in contention, but his last outing ended in failure, as a rematch with Estrada for the WBC belt resulted in an eleventh round stoppage win for the champion, the first early loss of Cuadras’ career.
It was a real thriller, with Estrada down in the third before rallying down the stretch. That was in October 2020, so ‘Principe’ comes off a long lay-off to contest the title which became vacant after Estrada was elevated to franchise champion in March 2021.
Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs) will be hungry enough, as he missed out on a WBA flyweight title shot last time out due to sanctioning body politics.
The 22-year-old Texan southpaw has never been past eight rounds, and he was due to challenge Esteban Bermudez in his last bout in October 2021, but Bermudez had a pre-existing order to face ’super’ champion, Hiroto Kyoguchi.
Rodriguez took his frustrations out on Jose Alejandro Burgos instead, stopping his man in four for his sixth straight early finish.
Prediction: This chance may well have come just too soon for Rodriguez, even though Cuadras has been in some tough wars. I think Rodriguez will start well, but Cuadras’ engine will soon take over, and I favour him to take a late stoppage win.
Mitchell meets Skelly
Jamie Mitchell was superb in taking the WBA bantamweight title in Liverpool last time out, and ’The Miracle’ defends for the first time against Carly Skelly a Liverpudlian with a dream opportunity here.
Mitchell (7-0-2, 4 KOs) defeated Shannon Courtenay via majority decision in October 2021, but it wasn’t as close as the cards suggested, as the 37-year-old impressed.
’Thumper’ Skelly (4-0-1) is a relative novice, and the only blot on her record is an October 2020 draw with Amy Timlin for the vacant Commonwealth crown.
The 35-year-old’s last outing was in October 2021, outscoring Dorota Norek to claim the vacant WBC International strap.
Prediction: Mitchell should retain handily enough on the scorecards.
Ford faces Vazquez
Raymond Ford (10-0-1, 6 KOs) takes another step up, and the New Jersey native can retain his WBA Continental Americas featherweight title with a points win over the unbeaten Edward Vazquez (11-0, 3 KOs).
Remaining Undercard
In six round action, 18-year-old middleweight, Elijah Lorenzo Garcia (9-0, 8 KOs) can score another early win against Antonio Louis Hernandez (6-11-2, 4 KOs), and at super lightweight, Aaron Aponte (4-0, 2 KOs) can take a points win against fellow unbeaten, Louis Jourdain (2-0, 1 KO).
Heavyweight Adam Stewart (12-1-1, 8 KOs) can take out Alvin Davie (6-2, 5 KOs) before the six round distance.
View this post on Instagram
In the sole four rounder, at light heavyweight Khalil Coe (1-0-1, 1 KO) is coming off a draw, and he can get back to winning ways with an early win over Dylan O’Sullivan (1-0).
