Bam Rodriguez KOs Vargas to become a three-division champion
A sixth-round knockout of Antonio Vargas in Glendale gives Bam the WBA bantamweight title, runs him to 24-0, and puts Naoya Inoue squarely in his sights.
Key points
- Sixth-round KO (1:15) by straight left hand
- Wins the WBA bantamweight title to go three-division; now 24-0 (17 KOs)
- Vargas drops to 19-2-1
- Sets up a potential superfight with Naoya Inoue
Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez stopped Antonio Vargas at 1:15 of the sixth round with a straight left hand on June 14, 2026, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, to claim the vacant WBA bantamweight title.
Rodriguez dropped Vargas in the fourth before closing the show in the sixth. The win moves him to 24-0 (17 KOs) and makes him a three-division world champion, adding the 118-pound crown to titles he has held at super flyweight and flyweight. Vargas falls to 19-2-1.
The victory brings the long-rumored super-bantamweight showdown with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue (33-0) sharply into focus. Promoter Eddie Hearn called it plainly: "After Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury, Bam vs. Inoue is the biggest fight in the sport, no doubt." A late-2026 or early-2027 date is now in play.