Roman “El Chocolatito” Gonzalez is a true unsung hero
When you look at most boxing pound for pound lists, you are hard pressed to find a fighter in the less glamorous flyweight division anywhere near the top 10; however, that is all about to change if it has not done so already. It’s not that there hasn’t been a little guy worthy of cracking the top 10 the past few years, he’s been here all along and is the one they call “El Chocolatito”.
Nicaraguan Roman Gonzalez (40-0 34 KO) is only twenty-seven and already has won three world titles in as many weight classes, following in the footsteps of his hero, mentor, and fellow countryman, the late great Alexis Arguello. Gonzalez added his latest title last month by stopping Japan’s Akira Yaegashi’s and taking his WBC World flyweight championship and adding it to his trophy case next to his light flyweight and minimumweight titles.
Gonzalez was honored to have matched his idol and become the second boxer from Nicaragua to achieve the feat stating to Ring TV.com, “It is a dream come true, even if I win four world titles, I will never surpass my hero, mentor and friend, I know he is happy watching me from heaven.” “I will visit Alexis’ tombstone and present him with the WBC title belt to make homage to him, without his skills and training I would not be where I am right now.”
The fight against Yaegashi started honestly enough in the first two rounds. In the third; however, Gonzalez landed an uppercut that dazed Yaegashi but he was able to remain coherent enough to exchange with the Nicaraguan who obliged by landing a left hook dropping the champion. Yaegashi was able to beat the count and survive the round.
Over the next five rounds there were some good exchanges but Gonzalez was the superior fighter boxing effortlessly while landing solid body shots, jabs, and left hooks. In the ninth round with his eye swelling, Yaegashi was again deposited on the canvas courtesy of a five punch combination from the challenger. This time Yaegashi would not be able to get up causing referee Michael Griffen to stop the contest. At the time of the ninth round TKO, Gonzalez was leading on all three scorecards, 79-72 X2 and 80-71.
The win against Yaegashi was Gonzalez’s sixth straight stoppage since he won a unanimous decision against Juan Francisco Estrada (30-2 22KO) in November of 2012. Estrada was able to go the distance and give Gonzalez a better fight than most thought he would as Gonzalez had stopped his previous five opponents. Since the loss to Gonzalez, Estrada has gone on to capture the WBA and WBO versions of the flyweight title which will most likely mandate a rematch between the two. Gonzalez would gladly welcome another bout against Estrada and a chance to unify the titles stating, “I have the same thirst I had on the very first day when I wanted to be crowned champion, I want that unification with Estrada and then maybe go to 115 in 2015 and 118 in 2016”
If Gonzalez is able to unify the titles at flyweight, move up and capture titles at 115 and 118, he would be a five division champion and further cement his legacy. He is only twenty–seven so these lofty goals are surely within his reach; however, at 5’3 his size may hinder any thoughts of a moving up further and obtaining a sixth title.
The lower weight classes need more exposure on the pay networks to allow some of their best fighters to share the spotlight with their counterparts in the better known and talent rich divisions. If a Gonzalez-Estrada match can be made, this may just happen as it has been rumored that the fight could be added to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s rumored May 2015 card.
Nevertheless, before we can look forward to that, we can expect to see Gonzalez back in the ring later next month. In this day and age, what other world champions do you know that win a title and fight again in just under three months? No opponent has been named but some of the early gossip has either Luis Concepcion or Rocky Fuentes as challengers for Gonzalez’s first title defense.
One thing’s for sure, no matter whom the opponent is, they better be ready to face one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world.
– Rick Guerrero / @lapittrack
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