By Ian S Palmer
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez of Nicaragua will be putting his WBA Jr. Bantamweight Title up for grabs in Dallas, Texas this Saturday March 13 while Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico will be putting his WBC version on the line in this highly-anticipated bout and rematch of their 2012 tilt. Gonzalez last stepped into the ring in October when he beat Israel Gonzalez by 12-round unanimous decision and Estrada fought on the same card when he stopped Carlos Cuadras in the 11th round of an absolute war. This battle can be seen live in most countries on DAZN this Saturday.
The 33-year-old Gonzalez is a four-division champion who won his recent the belt with a ninth-round stoppage over Khalid Yafai in February, 2020. He enters the fight with an impressive mark of 50-2 with 41 Kos. He suffered of back-to-back losses to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand by majority decision and fourth-round stoppage in 2017 for his only two pro losses and then took a year off before stopping Moises Fuentes in the fifth round in 2018.
He then took another 15-month layoff before stopping Diomel Diocos in the second round in December before stopping Yafai. Gonzalez was known as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet before running into Rungvisai and he’s trying to reclaim his standing. The first fight with Rungvisai was controversial as Gonzalez was dropped in the opening round and Rungvisai was deducted a point for head butting in the sixth, but he managed to fend off a late surge by Gonzalez to take his crown.
Gonzalez is a four-division world champion as he won the WBC Junior Bantamweight title in September, 2016 before meeting Rungvisai. He has also been a titleholder at minimumweight, light-flyweight and flyweight. He still has plenty of power with a current knockout ratio of 78.9 per cent but Gonzalez’s mobility allows him to control the ring and he likes to use his aggression to unleash quick, painful combinations on his opponents whenever he sees an opening. He’s not the best defensive boxer in the world and there’s a question mark about his chin.
He turned pro in 2005 and has 259 rounds of experience since then and stands 5-feet-3-inches tall and has a wingspan of 64 inches. Gonzalez has faced some good opposition over the years with wins over McWilliams Arroyo, Akira Yaegashi, Rocky Fuentes, Valentin Leon, Edgar Sosa, Brian Viloria, Omar Salado, Omar Soto, Francisco Rosas, Katsunari Takayama, Yutaka Niida and Manuel Vargas.
The 30 year-old Estrada enters the ring with a record of 41-3 with 28 Kos. He’s a former WBO and WBA Flyweight Champion who won his current title in April, 2019 when he edged Srisaket Sor Rungvisai by a close unanimous decision in a rematch. Estrada lost a majority decision to Rungvisai just over a year earlier. He stands 5-feet-4-inches tall with a 66-inch which gives him an inch edge in height on Gonazlez and a two-inch reach advantage.
Estrada turned pro back in 2008 and has boxed 286 rounds since then after a good amateur career. He’s never been stopped but had to get off the canvas in the third round against Cuadras in his last outing when he looked like he was close to being stopped. His other two losses came by way of unanimous decision to Gonzalez in 2012 in his first attempt at the WBA title and to Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. by an eight-round unanimous decision in 2011.
Estrada has better-than-average power with a current knockout ratio of 63.6 per cent and has won 15 of his last 16 fights. His biggest wins have been against Rungvisai, Cuadras (twice), Hernan Marquez, Giovani Segura, Milan Melindo, Brian Viloria, Rommel Asenjo and Richie Mepranum. He first met Gonzalez back in 2012 in a shot at his WBA Light Flyweight belt and lost a unanimous decision by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-12.
He had a 100-15 mark in the amateurs and was the WBO World Flyweight Champ from April 2013 to October 2016 and made five defences. He was the WBA Super World Flyweight Champ at the same time and also defended that belt five times.
Prediction…
Estrada is just as fast with his hands as Chocolatito but doesn’t possess the same power. He’s a good long-range fighter and accurate counterpuncher but wasn’t aggressive enough in their first meeting. Gonzalez needs to stay close and throw punches in bunches while cutting off the ring and going to the body. Estrada also needs to utilize his fine jab and needs to be better than he was in their first fight. The winner of this could soon face Rungvisai in a rematch. Gonzalez has already beaten Estrada so confidence shouldn’t be a problem. Also, Estrada’s last fight was a brutal contest and it could have taken a lot out of him. This is an excellent matchup and no outcome will be surprising including a draw. If I have to take a winner though I’d go with Gonzalez,
