‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez To Return?
One of the most exciting smaller weight fighters of the past decade doesn’t appear ready to retire, just yet. This, as former multi-division world champ Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez is looking to return the ring and probably, before the end of 2024.
Our insider Dan Rafael reported on his substack Tuesday night that despite Chocolatito’s hinting at retirement earlier this year and that his attorney/advisor Carlos Blandon believes he’ll be back in the ring,
“Roman is looking to make a comeback and a pull off a couple fights before thinking of retirement just yet. He sees his (junior bantamweight) division is very interesting and would like a shot at a title once again. We still don’t have a date but everything indicates he will most likely fight this year. His is eager to get back in the ring,” he told Rafael.
The 36 year old Nicaraguan Gonzalez, 51-4, 41 KOs, has won world title wins at junior bantamweight, flyweight, junior flyweight and strawweight. He was last in the ring December 3rd and lost a majority decision to Juan Francisco Estrada for the vacant WBC 115-pound title. This was the much anticipated rubber match between Gonzalez and Estrada in Glendale, Arizona. One judge had the all-out action bout a draw at 114-114 but the other two judges scored it for Estrada 116-112 and 115-113.
In the ring after the loss, which headlined a Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN, Gonzalez said he would consider retirement but also said he would be interested in a fourth fight with Estrada “as long as they pay well, of course.” Estrada, who also has not fought since that bout in December, said after the narrow victory that he was also open to a fourth fight, if Gonzalez wanted it.
Chocolatito won a clear unanimous decision over Estrada in their first meeting in 2012 to retain the WBA junior flyweight title.
The rematch took nearly nine years to make and Gonzalez lost a heavily disputed split decision to Estrada which was for the WBC/WBA super flyweight titles in March 2021. The bout saw over 2,000 punches thrown and was a serious fight of the year contender.
Now, we wait to see if Chocolatito-Estrada IV materializes or not?
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! He’s the host of the “Big Fight Weekend” podcast and will go “toe to toe” with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!
