Francisco Rodriguez Jr defeats Galal Yafai, claims WBC interim flyweight title in Birmingham

Galal Yafai, the British Olympic flyweight gold medalist, suffered his first professional defeat in a unanimous decision loss to Mexico's Francisco Rodriguez Jr. at the bp pulse LIVE arena in Birmingham. Rodriguez, a former unified minimumweight world champion, dominated the fight with relentless pressure, power, and aggression, dropping Yafai in the final round and winning by scores of 119-108, 119-108, and 118-109. Both fighters sustained cuts during the bout, but Rodriguez's work rate and power proved decisive, leading him to claim the interim WBC flyweight title. The victory positions Rodriguez for a potential shot at the full WBC world flyweight title, possibly against the winner of the upcoming Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval fight. Yafai, who had been on a rapid rise after winning Olympic gold in 2021 and securing the interim title, now faces a significant setback and rebuilding phase in his career. The fight also featured undercard wins by Conah Walker, Peter McGrail, and Pat Brown, highlighting a strong night of boxing in Birmingham.