“When it comes down to technical skills and the way Bam fights, he’s definitely up there and can beat Inoue,” Donaire told The Ring.

“Bam has all of the skills. But being the smaller guy is going to be a big disadvantage to his style. The question becomes is Bam big enough to utilize his dominance and his style? Because if you're the smaller guy, it's very difficult to do all of the things that he's done.

"But in terms of skills and capability, I think he beats both Inoue and Nakatani if they mix it up. He has the ability to do that.”

Rodriguez and Inoue have both intimated that an encounter is very much desired if the timing is right.

Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) is The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 115-pound champion and is getting ready to make his 118-pound debut against Antonio Vargas on June 13 in Glendale, Arizona.

Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) is the undisputed junior featherweight champion who is fresh off a unanimous decision win against Junto Nakatani earlier this month.

Donaire (43-10, 28 KOs) is still an active fighter at 43 despite a 1-4 slide over the last four years that started with a second-round stoppage in a 2022 rematch against Inoue, which followed their 2019 Fight of the Year.

Donaire, a four-division champion and the oldest bantamweight titleholder in boxing history (age 38), still competes at 118 pounds and wants to challenge for a title once again. Just don’t anticipate him taking on Rodriguez, who is trained by Donaire’s former longtime coach and confidant, Robert Garcia.

“They're like family to me, and I would never cross that path for anything,” said Donaire. “It's all respect between us. Robert is like a brother to me and has always given me love, even when we haven't worked together. My loyalty is to Robert.

“I've done it all. It's not worth it to lose family over money [to fight Rodriguez] and feel some type of way about things and ruin a relationship that I've built for decades.”

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