Edwin Rodriguez Hopes A Tournament Victory Lands A Big Fight With Kessler, Ward, or Froch

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    Edwin Rodriguez is preparing to participate in a super middleweight tournament consisting of 4 fighters, beginning March 30th when Rodriguez steps in the ring with Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna. That same night Zolt Erdei will square off against Denis Grachev, with the winners meeting in July. The finalist will compete for a million dollar purse with the winner taking home $600,000 and the loser getting $400,000.

    Rodriguez is hoping that he can duplicate the same kind of success that Andre Ward found after competing in and winning the Super 6 tournament. The idea is winning this tournament will make Rodriguez a viable opponent for some of the bigger names in the 168lb division and ultimately get him a shot at a world title.

    “I’m ready to show the world I’m an elite fighter, I’m ready to win the tournament and comeback and fight for a title. I’m able to fight good fighters for good money out of the country and that will give me a boost to get the big names like Carl Froch, Andre Ward, Mikkel Kessler and all the big name super middleweights,” Rodriguez said.

    Ironically enough, the main event of the March 30th card is Gennady Golovkin vs. Nobuhiro Ishida for Golovkin’s WBA middleweight title. A fight between Rodriguez and Golovkin had been discussed over the past few months, but ultimately it was turned down by Rodriguez who explained that the terms of the fight weren’t adequate enough to take on a whim. However, he did say that he could see a potential fight down the road.

    “I would love to [fight Gennady], his team and promotional company send me a contract to fight at 164lbs and next day they say I have to be 10lbs off. They go on HBO and say they’re big enough to fight anybody from 154 to 168, after I win this tournament I’m open if you want to fight me. My weight is 168lbs, come and get it.”

    Rodriguez explained further that not only was he dissatisfied with the terms of the fight, but he also felt frustrated about the situation in its entirety and even took a stab at what a catch weight could suggest about the confidence in Golovkin and his team.

    “Don’t send me a contract saying I have to be 10lbs off or come down to a catch weight, I’m a super middleweight and  you said you’d fight anyone from 154 to 168 but then you’re fighting guys at light middleweights. If you’re really as good as you say and your team really believes you’re that good then move up and fight me at 168 and stop sending me contracts that aren’t even worth looking at.”