A win will lead “Chocolatito” to a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada.
Mike Coppinger reported last week that three of Mexico’s top champions in the lower weight classes could defend their titles in an October 23rd Mexico City tripleheader. It looks like one of those fights is good to go, as Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez’s manager tells ESPN that he’s “finalized a deal” to pit the Nicaraguan star against Israel Gonzalez.
R. Gonzalez (49-2, 41 KO) took a long time to recover from his 2017 knockout loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, stopping Moises Fuentes a year later and waiting another 15 months before smashing the unknown Diomel Diocos in Yokohama. Despite this, he turned in a vintage performance in February by overpowering Kal Yafai for the WBA “super” super flyweight belt.
I. Gonzalez (25-3, 11 KO) is “Chocolatito’s” fourth-ranked contender and, at least by those standards, the best available option. “World” champ Joshua Franco is set to rematch #3 Andrew Moloney at some point, “gold” champ Misha Aloyan is presumably stuck in Russia, #1 Yodmongkol CP Freshmart hasn’t fought anyone with a winning record since getting mauled by Artem Dalakian in 2018, and #2 Carlos Cuadras is presumably preparing to face Juan Francisco Estrada.
As far as “Jiga’s” own merits, he’s 4-1 since a one-sided demolition from Jerwin Ancajas, falling to Kal Yafai but recently beating Sho Ishida. “Chocolatito” figures to be a heavy favorite.
The other two fights attached to the card but not yet confirmed are Estrada vs. Cuadras and Julio Cesar Martinez vs. Maximino Flores.
