Jesse Rodriguez Tops Antonio Vargas for Bantamweight WBA Title Shot
Jesse Rodriguez and Antonio Vargas met in a 12-round bantamweight bout on Saturday, June 13, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, with Vargas’ WBA title on the line. Rodriguez entered at 23-0-0 after moving up from super flyweight to chase another world title.
Desert Diamond Arena Bout
The fight was set for 7 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. PT, with the main event ringwalk expected around 9:35 p.m. ET and 6:35 a.m. PT. That timing put the title fight at the center of Matchroom Boxing’s card, and the matchup paired a challenger trying to add another belt to his collection with a titleholder defending his place at 118 pounds.
Rodriguez had already held titles in the super flyweight and flyweight classes, then stepped up again to bantamweight for this challenge. Vargas came in at 19-1-1 and held the WBA bantamweight title belt, which gave the bout a clear stake before the opening bell.
Rodriguez And Vargas Records
The records made the shape of the fight easy to read. Rodriguez’s undefeated mark reflected a clean run through 23 previous bouts, while Vargas brought a 19-1-1 record into the ring. Neither number was abstract here; they framed a title fight where one man was trying to keep the belt and the other was trying to take it while adjusting to a higher weight class.
The larger storyline sat inside that move upward. Rodriguez had to carry his success from super flyweight into bantamweight, where Vargas was described as the bigger of the two boxers. That created the main test of the night: whether Rodriguez’s speed and unbeaten record would hold up against a titleholder built for the division.
DAZN Access Details
The event was available as a premium live boxing event. DAZN subscribers could watch at no extra charge, while non-subscribers could buy access starting at $20.99 per month. The Ultimate Tier plan cost $49.99 per month and included 12 PPV events throughout the year at no extra cost, along with more than 100 live fights, fight replays, highlights and documentaries.
For viewers, the practical choice was simple: subscribe for ongoing access or buy in at the lower monthly price to get the card. For the fighters, the bigger consequence was even simpler. One bout in Glendale carried a WBA bantamweight title, and the winner left with a belt that could reshape the division immediately.
