Unbeaten prospect Edwin Rodriguez said Sunday that he plans to move from 160 pounds to 168, where he'll be more comfortable and big-name opponents abound.
A Saturday press conference is in the works for smack-talkers Adrien Broner and Paulie Malignaggi.
Edwin Rodriguez moving up to 168 pounds
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Unbeaten prospect Edwin Rodriguez said Sunday that he plans to move from 160 pounds to 168. Rodriguez (18-0, 13 knockouts) said he has discussed the matter with his team -- trainer Peter Manfredo Sr. and manager Larry Army -- and the consensus is that he'll be a better and more-comfortable fighter in the higher weight division "Right now I'm feeling a little bit more comfortable and a little bit stronger at 168," the 25-year-old said during an interview on The Ringside Boxing Show. "I feel like I'm fast and strong at super middleweight, and that's where I really belong. So the plan is to get a title there, and see where that takes us afterward." The name-brand opponents also are more plentiful at 168. "You've got Lucian Bute, and all of those guys from the Super Six, plus some up-and-comers, not only in the United States, but in other countries, so we feel like that's the best place for me to be right now," Rodriguez said. The Dominican-born resident of Worcester, Mass., said he's now fully recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered during the second round of his last fight, a 10-round victory over Aaron Pryor Jr., and is training for a probable date in late May or early June.
Dennis Taylor is editor/publisher of www.ringsideboxingshow.com and co-host of The Ringside Boxing Show |