Juan Francisco Estrada Leaves Junior Bantamweight Division Following Loss to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez
After a seventh-round knockout loss to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, former champion Juan Francisco Estrada has decided to leave the 115-pound division and move up to bantamweight. The 34-year-old fighter from Hermosillo, Mexico, has dominated the junior bantamweight class, defending his title multiple times and defeating strong opponents like Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, and Carlos Cuadras. Estrada once held both the WBA and WBO belts, solidifying his status as one of the top fighters in this weight class.
Currently, Estrada and his team are aiming for big fights in the bantamweight division starting in early 2025. In a recent meeting with the WBO in Puerto Rico, his representatives requested Estrada be ranked in the top 5 to boost his chances for a title shot. The new WBO President, Gustavo Olivieri, granted this request, and the WBC has also ranked Estrada as the top contender at bantamweight, despite his last fight in this division being in 2016. This opens the door for Estrada to make a strong impact in the new weight class with the ambition of adding another title to his name.
Estrada Seeks Title Shot Against Top Bantamweight Contenders
Moving up to bantamweight, Estrada is ready to face the division’s top fighters. Currently, Junto Nakatani holds the WBC title, and Yoshiki Takei is the WBO champion, both from Japan. Estrada is aiming for a major title fight right from 2025, showing little interest in warm-up bouts. If successful, a bantamweight title would make him a three-division champion, adding to his impressive career that includes titles in the flyweight and junior bantamweight divisions.
This weight class shift could set up exciting matchups between Mexican and Japanese fighters, adding more excitement to the bantamweight division and building anticipation among fans.
