Titanium: Boxing's Toughest Little Man Francisco Rodriguez Jr. Fights Saturday

Titanium is as strong as steel but 45 percent the weight, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The same principle exists in the world of boxing. It is the sweet science after all. 

Former IBF and WBO minimumweight world champion Francisco "Titanium" Rodriguez Jr. rematches Jomar Fajardo this Saturday in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico in a junior flyweight contest of 108 pounds—45 percent the weight of boxing's 245-pound heavyweight kingpin, "Dr. Steelhammer," Wladimir Klitschko.

But Rodriguez (16-2-1, 11 KO) has proven himself just as tough—if not the toughest—of any man, of any size, donning a pair of boxing gloves today, tangling with some of the sport's baddest little men like Manuel Vargas since he was a teenager.

In 2013, he didn't give up an inch when he went toe-to-toe with one of boxing's most potent punchers, Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, before being subjected to an immature referee stoppage. And last year, he paired up with strawweight legend Katsunari Takayama to deliver a blistering affair of pugilism in a unanimous pick for 2014 Fight of the Year.

The return match between the stout 21-year-old Mexican and the Philippines' Fajardo (14-5-1, 7 KO) will be televised by UniMas and set to air at 11 p.m. ET

Rodriguez, also dubbed "Chihuas," says he feels great ahead of their second fight in 11 weeks, per Mexican newspaper El Siglo de Torreon. He said he's been training hard in high altitude and assures fans a very different result from their split-decision draw that was action-packed at its core but controversial in its conclusion.

At Pinoy Pride 28, Titanium engaged with the unheralded Fajardo in what was supposed to be nothing more than a tune-up fight to end the young champion's breakout year that saw him dethrone titlists Merlito Sabillo and the "Lightning Kid" Takayama. A booming overhand right that seemed to break Rodriguez's nose in Round 3 rid any notion that his opponent was going to just roll over.

Fajardo continued to find a home for his winging right hands throughout the 10-round battle. Chihuas answered back with machine-gun flurries and his terrorizing left hook. And like most from Mexico, of course, his body attack was just as menacing.

The action was high. But as anticipated, the Mexican was finding more success.

Here's how BoxingScene.com saw it:

"Rodriguez connected with punches in the ratio of 7 to 1 and landed vicious body shots that sapped the energy of Fajardo and had him on the verge of a knockout on more than one occasion..."

However, the Filipino judges on duty that night were at their worst. Boxing Scene called the split-decision draw "inexplicable."

"I feel that I won the fight," Rodriguez said per FightNews.com. Concerning their fight this weekend, he continued: "What I can say to the fans is that I am not going to disappoint them, nor I am going to disappoint myself, and I will win..."

Rodriguez is adamant about winning a world title at 108 pounds in 2015 and has been linked to WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes on multiple occasions, per AsianBoxing.com. Titanium needs to avoid cracking against Fajardo Saturday night to keep a potential fight with Nietes alive.