Saul “Neno” Rodriguez Reloads in Top Rank’s Texas Card

Saul “Neno” Rodriguez returns after nearly two years of navigating through a maze of problems including a lack of fights for the surefire prospect now in his mid-20s.

The Riverside-based knockout machine is anxious to reload.

Rodriguez (21-0-1, 15 KOs) faces opposition for the first time in 20 months when he fights Argentina’s Claudio Rosendo Tapia (28-18-4, 13 KOs) at Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, Texas. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank card.

While he was toiling away in gym after gym for a fight date that never appeared, other prospects from Southern California moved forward up the rankings and into the mindset of boxing fans. But still, many asked about the slim slugger.

“People used to call me all the time asking me when I’m going to fight,” said Rodriguez, 25, while working out in a Riverside hillside gym. “I got tired of hearing it so I turned off my phone and stopped looking at social media.”

Rodriguez waited and waited for the call to battle from his prior promotion company Mayweather Promotions. He was offered fights but against last-minute competition and on inferior fight cards.

“They treated me OK,” said Rodriguez who was personally signed by Floyd Mayweather. “But they didn’t seem to know what they were doing with me.”

They parted ways amicably.

The super featherweight contender caught the eye of not just Southern California fans, but those in Europe and other parts of the U.S. with his slew of vicious knockouts seen on televised cards.

A British boxing program called Box Nation named him one of the prospects of the year and a Spanish television network also tabbed him as “Mr. Highlight film” for his ability to provide sensational knockouts. At the time he was fighting under Top Rank and when his contract expired he looked for the best offer.

Mayweather courted the knockout artist and after handing him a sack of cash and the keys to a brand new Camaro the offer was accepted.

Last fight

For his first fight under Mayweather Promotions the Riverside prizefighter was matched against Chile’s extremely tough Oscar Bravo on February 24, 2017. The fight took place at Pechanga Resort and Casino near his hometown and was televised by Showtime.

Ironically, a repeat of that fight was televised on Monday night. In that battle Rodriguez soared in front the first four rounds until Bravo closed the distance and floored the Riverside star with a right cross. It was the first and only time Rodriguez had been knocked down.

Though Rodriguez won the fight by split decision after 10 rounds, reaction from fans and decriers was swift and vicious on social media platforms. Getting knocked down after a slow left jab not only resulted in a knockdown, but a stream of ugly comments and declarations that come any time a fighter has a close win such as with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin’s two fights.

“It’s better to have 1,000 negative comments than no comments at all,” Rodriguez said wisely. “Boxing fans are the most loyal of all and the most annoying.”

More bothersome than the ugly comments was the lack of activity in actual prize fights. That was Rodriguez’s first and last fight under Mayweather Promotions.

“It was frustrating. I stopped watching boxing,” said Rodriguez, who is now trained by his father Saul Rodriguez Sr. “I like watching forensic shows like the First 48 Hours.”

Investigating murders cases and mysteries has become a favorite pastime for the Riverside slugger. But his inactivity was a mystery so he returned to his former promotion company Top Rank.

“Top Rank knows how to build fighters they built Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather,” said Rodriguez rattling off boxing’s biggest names in the past 20 years. “They know how to build stars.”

Brad Goodman, one of Top Ranks matchmakers and scouts, has been part of many of the Las Vegas-based company’s discoveries and knows Rodriguez very well.

“We basically built his whole career. He’s really part of the family except for one fight when he fought for Floyd. There was a misunderstanding but he came back to us,” said Goodman currently in Panama. “He’s been off for a while, it will take him two or three fights to get back into the buzz again.”

When Rodriguez is at his best he’s a quick-fisted puncher capable of knockouts that draw oohs and ahhs.

“What he’s always done well is he is very offensive-minded which is a very good thing. But when you get to the higher level it can be a detriment. Certain guys know how to counter punch,” said Goodman who has worked with Top Rank for more than 20 years. “That’s when you need to be very good defensively. We always knew he was a heavy handed kid with a great left hook. I always wanted him to get better with his defense.”

Now after spending nearly two years away from entering a prize ring, the slightly older and stronger Rodriguez reflects calmly about his recent rocky travels and the constant asking about his next fight.

“Maybe this weekend if somebody acts wrong,” would be Rodriguez’s response.

Well, this weekend is finally here and the feared super featherweight has recharged and reloaded, and Texas is his first stop.

It’s about time.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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