June 14 (Reuters) - Undefeated Jesse ⁠Rodriguez stopped fellow American Antonio Vargas in the sixth ⁠round to become the WBA bantamweight world champion, capturing ‌a title in a third weight division after the flyweight and super flyweight divisions.

Rodriguez distracted his opponent with a body shot and a looping ​right hand before landing a straight left, ⁠making Vargas buckle to ⁠his knees and collapse on the canvas in front of a ⁠stunned ‌Arizona crowd.

Saturday night's victory extended 26-year-old Rodriguez's professional record to 24-0, and reignited the conversation around a ⁠long-awaited clash with unified super bantamweight champion Naoya ​Inoue.

"He was a ‌lot tougher than I thought," Rodriguez said about Vargas, ⁠whom he had ​knocked down in the fourth round.

"Even after that first knockdown, he got up and he was fighting like it never even ⁠happened. Respect to him."

It was Rodriguez's first ​time fighting at the 118-pound (53.5 kg) division. Japan's Inoue, who is 33 years old, is also undefeated with a 33-0 record, ⁠and has been the undisputed 122-pound (55.3 kg) champion since 2023.

"For me, it's the two pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, the best," Rodriguez's promoter Eddie Hearn said about a fight with Inoue.

"We've ​got a long-term future in the sport, ⁠belts to collect at 118 pounds. But for me, that ​fight is inevitable. If the right ‌offer comes... (Rodriguez) will be there. And ​trust me when I say he ain't getting beat."

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)