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Emmanuel Rodriguez Training Camp Notes
Former bantamweight world champion Emmanuel Rodriguez plans
to become a two-time world champion in emphatic fashion when
he battles streaking contender Melvin Lopez for the vacant
IBF Bantamweight World Championship live on SHOWTIME® on
Saturday, August 12 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from
The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Maryland.
“We’re coming to knock Melvin Lopez out,” said Rodriguez. “I
believe that I will be dominating the fight by the sixth,
seventh or eighth round. It’s going to be just a matter of
time.
“Our goal is to drive him back because we know he has an
aggressive style and reputation. We’re going to prevent that
by fighting in the middle of the ring or pinning him against
the ropes. If we have to adjust, I’m confident we’ll still
be successful.”
Rodriguez held the IBF title from May 2018 until dropping
the belt to Naoya Inoue in their May 2019 clash. Most
recently, Rodriguez put himself back into world title
contention by defeating the previously unbeaten Gary Antonio
Russell in October 2022. Currently training in the city of
Jiquipilco, Mexico, Rodriguez believes that his experience
and mental edge will be the difference maker on fight night.
“My experience is going to make all the difference,” said
Rodriguez. “Not just my experience, but also my skills and
my quality as a fighter. The key is to take Lopez out of his
comfort zone. When you’re out of your comfort zone, you make
mistakes. This fight will be 70% mental and 30% physical.
I’m a savvy fighter.”
Representing his native Manati, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez can
become the country’s fourth current male world champion with
a win on August 12. In addition to highly decorated women’s
champion Amanda Serrano, Rodriguez looks to join 140-pound
champion Subriel Matias, 108-pound champion Jonathan
Gonzalez and 105-pound champion Oscar Collazo.
“Becoming the fifth current Puerto Rican world champion
would be amazing,” said Rodriguez. “Subriel Matias is here
training with me and we talk every day. Oscar Collazo and I
are close too, and we stay in touch. We all root for each
other. Matias always tells me to believe in myself and is a
real motivator for me. Boricuas are riding the wave of
success and we have to enjoy the moment.”
Rodriguez hopes to work towards becoming undisputed at
118-pounds, a journey that could see him a matchup with
recently crowned WBC Bantamweight World Champion Alexandro
“Peque” Santiago, who won the title last weekend with an
impressive performance against future Hall of Famer Nonito
Donaire on SHOWTIME PPV®. If Rodriguez is successful next
weekend, he hopes to make that fight the next in the storied
ring history of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico.
“Being undisputed is hard and it’s my ultimate goal,” said
Rodriguez. “Santiago’s performance surprised me a lot. I
didn’t think he would win, but he fought flawlessly and put
on a clinic against Donaire. ‘Peque’ wasn’t little at all,
he looked big. I hope he can be my next opponent to unify
titles in another edition of the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
rivalry.”
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