But when you’re Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, any fight before an inevitable encounter against Naoya Inoue can be considered a trap.

Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs), ranked No. 4 pound-for-pound by The Ring, is getting ready for his 118-pound debut Saturday night against WBA bantamweight belt-holder Antonio Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The southpaw slugger from San Antonio is a massive 25-1 betting favorite as big business beckons against Inoue, the undisputed junior featherweight king and P4P No. 1 star in the sport.

Despite the notion that Rodriguez should destroy Vargas in a 12-round main event DAZN will stream worldwide, the 26-year-old former unified two-division champion is approaching Vargas with a level head – all while refusing to look ahead.

“This is just another step in my career,” Rodriguez said during a press conference Thursday. “I’ve been training [for Vargas] just as hard as any other fight. I never look past any opponent. I know each opponent is coming to take what I have, but I make sure that doesn’t happen. Every time I step inside the gym, I give it 110 percent, and I’m just ready to go, and ready to go out there and give the fans a great fight.

“I am constantly trying to challenge myself. I mean, if it’s not a world title fight, then it really doesn’t interest me. Or even if it’s just a simple title defense, it really doesn’t interest me or get me going inside the gym. So, when I got the opportunity to fight Vargas for another world title, in another weight division, I was on go right away.”

Rodriguez’s days at 115 pounds are officially done, as he vacated his titles this week. Rodriguez held The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO crowns, and while becoming undisputed champ interested him, the timing of capturing the IBF belt didn’t align on the calendar along with building his body for a career-defining fight against Inoue, which could take place as early as December or January.

Rodriguez’s career-long coach and manager, Robert Garcia, proposed a scary thought when assessing Rodriguez’s ongoing ascent, as he aims to extend his stoppage streak to six.

“Bam is incredible – he’s talented, disciplined and dedicated,” Garcia said. “I don’t know how far he can make it. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Bam yet. The best is still to come.”

Rodriguez propelled Garcia’s proclamations even further and promised he won’t fall victim to Vargas’ trap.

“I feel like I haven’t even shown 50 percent of what I’m capable of,” Rodriguez said. “But the tougher the opponent, the better my performance. In Vargas, I feel like he’s gonna bring out another percentage of Bam Rodriguez, and I can’t wait to go out there and show it.

“So just expect another spectacular performance, and I’m ready to go out there and make it happen. … I’m ready to go out there and capture the moment.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.