Eddie Hearn Envisions Major Showdown Between Inoue and Bam Rodriguez in 2026

Promoter Eddie Hearn has indicated that a highly anticipated match between Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue could be on the horizon, potentially taking place as soon as late 2026 or early 2027. Hearn made these comments following Rodriguez's recent victory over Fernando Martinez in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he secured multiple super flyweight titles.

While Hearn emphasizes the excitement surrounding a potential fight between Rodriguez and Inoue, he acknowledges that Rodriguez must first navigate a challenging bout against WBA champion Antonio Vargas on June 13. “The move to bantamweight sets that fight up perfectly,” Hearn noted. “He’s got to come through Antonio Vargas, the champion, on June 13th. That’s a really, really tough fight.”

Hearn believes that if Rodriguez successfully defeats Vargas, a showdown with Inoue would be a logical next step. He remarked, “Probably outside of Fury-AJ, it’s probably the biggest fight out there. It’s going to be pound-for-pound No. 1 vs pound-for-pound No. 2. If Bam comes through in Phoenix, he just wants the biggest fights.”

Rodriguez, according to Hearn, is not interested in delaying his career by selectively choosing opponents. “Bam doesn’t want to be around for five or six years; he wants to fight everybody now,” Hearn stated. He reiterated the urgency for Rodriguez to face Inoue if he emerges victorious against Vargas.

Hearn also revealed that discussions have already taken place with Turki Alalshikh about making this fight a reality. “Yeah, I think they’re talking about December or January for that fight. Bam would have six months to wait. It wouldn’t be a problem,” he added, highlighting Rodriguez's enthusiasm for the possibility of fighting in Japan.