- Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards will fight for the WBO and IBF World Flyweight unification match this weekend.
- Rodriguez is the betting favorite at -225.
- Edwards is the betting underdog at +200.
The Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale will host the WBO and IBF World Flyweight unification fight between WBO world title holder Jesse Rodriguez (18-0) and IBF world title holder Sunny Edwards (20-0) this Saturday, Dec. 16.
👀🏜️🌵 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅𝐅
👑 @210bam vs @SunnyEdwards 👑
Fight Week is under way in Arizona! #RodriguezEdwards live on @DAZNBoxing this Saturday! pic.twitter.com/FXUsQHCjKX
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 13, 2023
Both champions are undefeated, but Rodriguez will be the betting -225 favorite in boxing odds against Edwards, who is the +200 betting underdog because of his higher finish rate. He leads this category by 41% as he sports 61% against Edwards’ 20%.
Another factor for Rodriguez’s role in online sports betting is that he is a two-division world champion. He also reigns as the WBC World Super Flyweight world champion with two successful title defenses.
Jesse Rodriguez Recent Fight Results
Rodriguez was a multiple-time junior national champion before taking his talents into the professional ranks. He made his pro debut in March 2017 and won against Mauricio Cruz. Following that successful first match, he went on to win his next 13 fights to earn his first world title opportunity.
In February 2022, he fought Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC World Super Flyweight title and won unanimously to capture his first world championship. Rodriguez successfully fended the challenges from Wisaksil Wangek and Israel Gonzalez to retain the WBC belt.
1️⃣8️⃣➖0️⃣
WBO Champ 👑 @210bam#RodriguezEdwards | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/1gYi8O1vpQ
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 11, 2023
His most recent victory was against Christian Gonzalez Hernandez in April 2023 via unanimous decision when he competed for the vacant WBO World Flyweight world title. That win officially made him a two-division world champion, and he now aims to add another belt to his collection.
Sunny Edwards Recent Fight Results
Edwards was a former amateur boxing standout who starred in the UK and European tournaments and captured various medals. He made his professional debut in September 2016 with a win over Sergey Tasimov.
Since then, he won his next 14 fights and collected multiple minor boxing titles like the WBO European Super Flyweight title, the WBO International Super Flyweight title, the IBF International Super Flyweight title, and the BBBofC British Super Flyweight title.
2️⃣0️⃣➖0️⃣
IBF Champ 👑 @SunnyEdwards #RodriguezEdwards | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/7NLkzQ8na7
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 11, 2023
In April 2021, Edwards challenged and defeated Moruti Mthalane via unanimous decision to become the IBF World Flyweight champion. He defended the title four straight times with wins over Jayson Mama, Muhammad Waseem, Felix Alvarado, and Andrés Campos.
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: Tale of the Tape
| Jesse Rodriguez | Sunny Edwards | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 23 | 27 |
| Height | 5’4” | 5’3” |
| Reach | 67 inches | 60 inches |
| Record | 18-0 | 20-0 |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 61% | 20% |
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: Fight Analysis
The tale of the tape for the WBO and IBF World Flyweight unification match between Rodriguez and Edwards favors the former as he’ll enjoy an inch of height (5-foot-4 against 5-foot-3) and 7 inches of reach advantage (67 inches against 60 inches) against the latter.
Besides physical attributes, Rodriguez will also have the luxury of youth because he’s four years younger than Edwards and, as mentioned earlier, has a better finish rate of 61% compared to Edwards’ 20%.
It will be a battle of approach, as both boxing champions have an opposite method of fighting, with Rodriguez being more of an offensive and relentless fighter, while Edwards is a defensive and tactical boxer.
The key for Rodriguez in this match is to immediately cut off the ring for Edwards and limit the space in which he operates. This way, he can cut the angles and throw his punches, mainly letting go of his left hand, which possesses a dynamite power.
On the other hand, Edwards must double down on using his incredible footwork to avoid the power shots that Rodriguez will be throwing. If he can do so, he can open opportunities for counters, gas him out and score points on the judges’ scorecards, just like he did in his previous fights.
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: Date and Start Time
Dec. 16, 2023, 8:00 p.m. PT
Dec. 16, 2023, 10:00 p.m. CT
Dec. 16, 2023, 11:00 p.m. ET
Jesse Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards: Fight Prediction
Official Prediction: TKO/KO victory for Jesse Rodriguez.
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