Rodriguez Stopped Rungvisai in Round Eight to Retain His
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez stopped Srisaket Sor Rungvisai at 1:50 of round eight on June 25, 2022, in San Antonio. Rodriguez retained the WBC super flyweight title in the first defense of the belt.
A major test for the young champion
Rodriguez had won the title earlier in 2022 with a short-notice victory over Carlos Cuadras. Rungvisai, a former two-time champion, posed a difficult first defense because of his punching power and championship experience.
Rodriguez used speed and accuracy to keep the veteran from establishing his usual pressure. He scored knockdowns in the later rounds and continued landing combinations as Rungvisai tried to stay in the fight.
The referee stopped the bout at 1:50 of the eighth round. The official result was a technical knockout for Rodriguez, who kept the WBC belt in his first defense.
A successful first defense
The fight headlined a card at Tech Port Arena in Rodriguez’s hometown of San Antonio. He improved his record and proved able to handle a former champion in a high-profile defense.
Rungvisai suffered a stoppage loss, his first since 2014, while Rodriguez strengthened his position as one of the division’s leading fighters.
The WBC’s official report confirms the date, venue, two knockdowns and stoppage time. The result was a title defense, not a vacant-belt contest.
