Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez delivered a patient, precise performance before finishing in savage fashion on Saturday night at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, edging one step closer to undisputed glory.

Already cemented in the pound-for-pound list, Rodriguez showcased why he’s one of the lower-division elites as he dismantled WBO super-flyweight champion Phumelela Cafu inside ten rounds.

Cafu (11-1-3, 8 KOs) entered unbeaten and talked a good game beforehand.

‘A lot of people think I’ll be running away from Bam, but this is a message for him; I’ll be there in front of you. You won’t need to look too far.’

He held his promise, standing in front of Bam. But spending most of the fight with his back to the ropes wasn’t quite what we anticipated.

From the opening bell, Cafu backed up voluntarily. Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) is known for pressure, yet Cafu didn’t need prompting. It was almost amusing to watch, as he circled from corner to corner with his back against the ropes while Rodriguez worked away. Oddly, it worked to a point.

He wasn’t winning rounds, but he kept Rodriguez sharp, forcing him to stay alert to counters.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, was painting with his full southpaw palette. Every landed punch cracked. He mixed head and body shots, shifted angles, and probed Cafu’s guard.

Now and then, Cafu snuck in a sharp backhand or threw together a flashy combo. But most of the effective work came from Rodriguez.

Cafu was gradually broken down by Bam’s accuracy and persistence, finally crumbling in the tenth.

There was a touch of comedy within the savagery of the finish. Cafu was caught clean on the chin as Rodriguez dipped and detonated a right hook that somehow didn’t floor him immediately.

His legs gave way as Bam pounced. Referee Hector Afu looked ready to call it, reaching for Rodriguez then quickly pulling back as the two fighters tangled and tumbled to the canvas. Chaotic scenes followed, with the ref trying to catch them on the way down.

Once upright, Cafu’s corner waved the towel to end it.

That right hook was clean. There was no recovery.

In the post-fight interview, Rodriguez gave Cafu full credit.

‘He had better pop than I expected. I knew he had power, but not like that. And he can take a shot. He didn’t stop, he was in it to win it. All my credit goes to him.’

Rodriguez added:

‘This means everything. It’s one step closer to undisputed, especially the way I did it against Cafu, a world champion. I took his belt, stopped him inside twelve. It shows I’m here to stay.’

Promoter Eddie Hearn called Rodriguez one of the standout names of a new wave of talent.

Already a two-weight world champion, Rodriguez is now in hunting mode. The remaining belts are in his sights, with WBA champion Fernando Martinez up next in November on another Riyadh season card.

If victorious, he’ll turn his attention to IBF champ Willibaldo Garcia.

Rodriguez claimed his first title against veteran Carlos Cuadras in May 2022. He’s since dispatched former champions Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Sunny Edwards, and Juan Francisco Estrada. Stacked CV.

On Saturday, he reminded us why he’s a must-watch.

The plan? Unify 115lbs, then move up to 118lbs, where even bigger fights await.

A clash with Japan’s Nunto Jakatani would be box office.

Full card results:

• Diego Pacheco W-UD-12 Trevor McCumby (Super-Middleweight)
• Ammo Williams W-TKO-9 Ivan Vazquez (Middleweight)
• Pablo Valdez W-KO-3 Robert Redmond Jr (Light-Middleweight)
• Omari Jones W-KO-3 Alfredo Rodolfo Blanco (Light-Middleweight)
• Nishant Dev W-TKO-6 LaQuan Evans (Light-Middleweight)
• Hector Beltran W-TKO-3 Edgar Gutierrez

Images: Getty