WBC Special Preview: #EstradaChocolatito III

WBC Stats

Jose Sulaimán – WBC HONORARY POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME PRESIDENT (+)

Mauricio Sulaimán – WBC PRESIDENT

VACANT WBC SUPER FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

GILA RIVER ARENA GLENDALE, ARIZONA, UNITED STATES

DECEMBER 3, 2022

 TV: DAZN

THIS WILL BE THE WBC’S 2, 157 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE   FIGHT   IN   THE   FIFTY-NINE YEAR HISTORY OF THE WBC

EDDIE HEARN & MATCHROOM BOXING

 

PRESENTS:

JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA

(MEXICO)

FRANCHISE BOXER

Nationality:       Mexico

Date of Birth:    April 14, 1990

Birthplace:        Puerto Peñasco, Sonora

Residence:         Hermosillo, Sonora

Age:                  32

Alias:                El Gallo

Récord:             43-3-0, 28 ko’s

% KO’S;          60.87 %

Guard:             Orthodox

Total rounds:    310

World Title fights: 13 (11-2-0)

Manager:          Alfredo Caballero

Promoter:          Promociones Zanfer

 

ROMAN GONZALEZ

(NICARAGUA)

WBC no. 1

Nationality:       Nicaragua

Date of Birth:    June 17, 1987

Birthplace:        Managua, Nicaragua

Residence:         Managua, Nicaragua

Age:                  35

Alias:                El Chocolatito

Récord:             51-3-0, 41 ko’s

% KO’S;          75.9 %

Guard:             Orthodox

Total rounds:    283

World Title fights: 22 (19-3-0)

Manager:          Carlos Blandon

Promoter:          Teiken Promotions

 

WBC´S SUPERFLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

 

NAME                                       COUNTRY                        PERIOD As CHAMPION

 

1. RAFAEL ORONO (VENEZUELA)                    1980 – 1981
2. CHULHO KIM                            (KOREA)                           1981 – 1982
3. RAFAEL ORONO * (VENEZUELA)                    1982 – 1983
4. PAYAO POOLTARAT (+) (THAILAND)                     1983 – 1984
5. JIRO WATANABE (JAPAN)                            1984 – 1986
6. GILBERTO ROMAN (+) (MEXICO)                          1986 – 1987
7. SANTOS LACIAR (ARGENTINA)                    1987
8. JOSE BEBIS ROJAS (COLOMBIA)                      1987 – 1988
9. GILBERTO ROMAN (+) * (MEXICO)                          1988 – 1989
10. NANA KONADU (GHANA)                           1989 – 1990
11. SUNGKIL MOON (KOREA)                           1990 – 1993
12. JOSE LUIS BUENO (MEXICO)                          1993 – 19943
13. HIROSHI KAWASHIMA (JAPAN)                            1994 – 1997
14. GERRY PEÑALOSA (PHILIPPINES)                   1997 – 1998
15. INJOO CHO (KOREA)                           1998 – 2000
16. MASAMORI TOKUYAMA (JAPAN)                            2000 – 2004
17. KATSUSHIGE KAWASHIMA (JAPAN)                            2004 – 2005
18. MASAMORI TOKUYAMA * (JAPAN)                            2005 – 2006
19. CRISTIAN MIJARES (MEXICO)                          2006 – 2008
20. VIC DARCHYNIAN (AUSTRALIA)                     2008 – 2010
21. TOMAS ROJAS (MEXICO) INTERIM            2009
22. VIC DARCHYNIAN * (AUSTRALIA)                     2009 – 2010
23. TOMAS ROJAS * (MEXICO)                          2010 – 2011
24. SURIYAN POR CHOCKCHAI (THAILAND)                      2011 – 2012
25. YOTA SATO (JAPAN)                            2012 – 2013
26. SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI (THAILAND)                      2013 – 2014
27. CARLOS CUADRAS (MEXICO)                          2014 – 2016
28. ROMAN GONZALEZ (NICARAGUA)                   2016 – 2017
29. SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI * (THAILAND)                      2017 – 2019
30. JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA (MEXICO) FRANCHISE       2019 – 2021
31. JESSE RODRIGUEZ (US)                                  2022

* REGAINED

 

TOP TEN CHAMPIONS

GILBERTO ROMAN (MEXICO)

SANTOS LACIAR (ARGENTINA)

JIRO WATANABE (JAPAN)

CHULHO KIM (KOREA)

CRISTIAN MIJARES (MEXICO)

GERRY PEÑALOSA (PHILIPPINES)

SUNGKIL MOON (KOREA)

RAFAEL ORONO (VENEZUELA)

CARLOS CUADRAS (MEXICO)

JOSE LUIS BUENO (MEXICO)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

25 WORLD CHAMPIONS RECOGNIZED BY THE WBC OF WHICH ONLY 6 HAVE REGAINED THEIR TITLE:

RAFAEL ORONO (VENEZUELA)

GILBERTO ROMAN (MEXICO)

MASAMORI TOKUYAMA (JAPAN)

VIC DARCHINYAN (AUSTRALIA)

TOMAS ROJAS (MEXICO)

SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI (THAILAND)

 

127 WORLD TITLE BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN SUPERFLYWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC IN 10 COUNTRIES

23 TITLE FIGHTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN SUPERFLYWEIGHT IN UNITED STATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

 

WORLD SUPERFLYWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS BY COUNTRY

JAPAN                              37

KOREA                             24

USA                                   23

MEXICO                           18

THAILAND                      9

VENEZUELA                    8

FRANCE                           3

PHILIPPINES                   2

ARGENTINA                    2

SPAIN                               1

TOTAL               127

 

WBC TITLE BOUTS HELD IN THE ARIZONA STATE

13 TITLE FIGHTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN ARIZONA AND THIS WILL BE THE 2nd.  SUPERFLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT

FIGHTS BY DIVISION IN ARIZONA STATE IN THE WBC HISTORY

13 BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE ARIZONA STATE IN THE ENTIRE WBC HISTORY

20/01/1980       ALEXIS ARGUELLO – RUBEN CASTILLO                             TKO 11         TUCSON                 SFE

02/02/1980       SALVADOR SANCHEZ – DANNY LOPEZ                               TKO 13         PHOENIX               FE

12/04/1980       SALVADOR SANCHEZ – RUBEN CASTILLO                        DEC 15         TUCSON                 FE

21/02/1989       DENNIS ANDRIES – TONY WILLIS                                           KO 5              TUCSON                 LH

30/10/1993       MICHAEL CARBAJAL – DOMINGO SOSA                             TKO 7            PHOENIX               LF

29/07/2000       KONSTANTIN TSZYU – JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ                 TKO 6            PHOENIX               SL

03/11/2007       JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ – ROCKY JUAREZ                    DEC 12         TUCSON                 SFE

11/05/2019       MIGUEL BERCHELT – FRANCISCO VARGAS                      TKO 6            TUCSON                 SFE

20/12/2019       JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ – CRISTOFER ROSALES           TKO 9            PHOENIX               FL

10/09/2021       OSCAR VALDEZ – ROBSON CONCEICAO                             UD 12            TUCSON                 SFE

05/02/2022       JESSE RODRIGUEZ – CARLOS CUADRAS                             UD 12            PHOENIX               SFL

21/05/2022       DAVID BENAVIDES – DAVID LEMIEUX (INTERIM)         TKO 3            GLENDALE          SM

03/12/2022       JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA – ROMAN MARTINEZ                                GLENDALE          SFL

 

MEMORABLES FIGHTS

01/02/1980       RAFAEL ORONO – SEUNG HOON LEE                              DEC 15                CARACAS

24/01/1981       CHULHO KIM – RAFAEL ORONO                                       KO 9                    SAN CRISTOBAL

22/04/1981       CHULHO KIM – JIRO WATANABE                                     DEC 15                SEOUL

28/11/1982       RAFAEL ORONO – CHULHO KIM                                       TKO 6                 SEOUL

27/11/1983       PAYAO POOLTARAT – RAFAEL ORONO                          DEC 12                PATTAYA

05/07/1984       JIRO WATANABE – PAYAO POOLTARAT                        DEC 12                OSAKA

30/03/1986       GILBERTO ROMAN – JIRO WATANABE                           DEC 12                ITAMI

30/08/1986       GILBERTO ROMAN – SANTOS LACIAR                            DRAW 12           CORDOBA

16/05/1987       SANTOS LACIAR – GILBERTO ROMAN                            TKO 11               REIMS

08/08/1987       JOSE BEBIS ROJAS – SANTOS LACIAR                              DEC 12                MIAMI

08/04/1988       GILBERTO ROMAN – JOSE BEBIS ROJAS                          DEC 12                MIAMI.

07/11/1989       NANA KONADU – GILBERTO ROMAN                             DEC 12                MEXICO CITY

20/01/1990       SUNGKIL MOON – NANA KONADU                                  TDEC 9               SEOUL

13/11/1993       JOSE LUIS BUENO – SUNGKIL MOON                              DEC 12                POHANG

04/05/1994       HIROSHI KAWASHIMA – JOSE LUIS BUENO                  DEC 12                YOKOHAMA

20/02/1997       GERRY PEÑALOSA – HIROSHI KAWASHIMA                 DEC 12                TOKYO

29/08/1998       INJOO CHO – GERRY PEÑALOSA                                       DEC 12                SEOUL

10/01/1999       INJOO CHO – JOEL LUNA ZARATE                                   DEC 12                SEOUL

27/08/2000       MASAMORI TOKUYAMA – INJOO CHO                           DEC 12                OSAKA

23/06/2003       MASAMORI TOKUYAMA – KATSUSHIGE KAWASHIMA DEC 12           YOKOHAMA

03/01/2004       MASAMORI TOKUYAMA – DIMITRI KIRILOV               DEC 12                OSAKA, JAPAN

18/09/2006       CRISTIAN MIJARES – KATSUSHIGE KAWASHIMA       DEC 12                YOKOHAMA

17/05/2008       CRISTIAN MIJARES – ALEXANDER MUÑOZ                   DEC 12                GOMEZ PALACIO

01/11/2008       VIC DARCHINYAN – CRISTIAN MIJARES                        KO 9                    CARSON

24/10/2009       TOMAS ROJAS – EVANS MBAMBA                                    UD 12                  VERACRUZ

19/08/2011       SURIYAN POR RUNGVISAI – TOMAS ROJAS                   UD 12                  SRISAKET

27/03/2012       YOTA SATO – SURIYAN POR RUNGVISAI                       UD 12                  TOKYO

03/05/2013       SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI – YOTA SATO                     TKO 8                 SRISAKET

04/04/2015       CARLOS CUADRAS – LUIS CONCEPCION                        UD 12                  METEPEC

10/09/2016       ROMAN GONZALEZ – CARLOS CUADRAS                      UD 12                  INGLEWOOD.

09/09/2017       SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI – ROMAN GONZALEZ      KO 4                    CARSON

24/02/2018       SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI – JUAN FCO. ESTRADA     MD 12                 INGLEWOOD

26/04/2019       JUAN FCO. ESTRADA – SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI     UD 12                  INGLEWOOD

23/10/2020       JUAN FCO. ESTRADA – CARLOS CUADRAS                     TKO 11               MEXICO CITY

13/03/2021       JUAN FCO. ESTRADA – ROMAN GONZALEZ                  SD 12                   DALLAS

 

WBC TITLE FIGHTS: MEXICO – NICARAGUA

THERE HAVE BEEN 26 WBC TITLE FIGHTS BETWEEN BOXERS OF THESE NATIONALITIES

MEXICO HAS WON 19 TITLE FIGHTS

NICARAGUA HAS WON 6 TITLE FIGHTS

1 DRAW

 

22/04/1972   RICARDO ARREDONDO – WILLIAM MARTINEZ                      KO 5           MEXICO CITY      SFE

08/07/1979   ALEXIS ARGUELLO – RAFAEL LIMON                                         TKO 11      NEW YORK          SFE

07/03/1998   RICARDO LOPEZ – ROSENDO ALVAREZ                                     TDRAW 7 MEXICO CITY      ST

13/11/1998   RICARDO LOPEZ – ROSENDO ALVAREZ                                     DEC 12      LAS VEGAS          ST

19/10/2002   JOSE ANTONIO AGUIRRE – JUAN PALACIOS                            DEC 12      VILLAHERMOSA ST

22/02/2003   JORGE ARCE – ERNESTO CASTRO                                                 KO 1           MEXICO CITY      LF

27/03/2004   DIEGO MORALES – ADONIS RIVAS (ELIM.)                               DEC 12      TIJUANA                BA

22/05/2004   GENARO GARCIA – ADONIS RIVAS (ELIM.)                               TKO 8        MEXICO CITY      BA

18/12/2004   JORGE ARCE – JUAN CENTENO                                                       TKO 3        CULIACAN           LF

16/12/2005   JORGE ARCE – ADONIS RIVAS                                                         TKO 10      MONTERREY       FL

28/01/2006   JORGE ARCE – ADONIS RIVAS (INTERIM)                                  TKO 7        CANCUN                FL

08/04/2006   JORGE ARCE – ROSENDO ALVAREZ (INTERIM)                      KO 6           LAS VEGAS          FL

06/05/2006   OSCAR DE LA HOYA – RICARDO MAYORGA                           TKO 6        LAS VEGAS          SW

02/08/2008   OSCAR LARIOS – MARLON AGUILAR                                          KO 7           ZAPOPAN              SB

13/06/2009   JUAN PALACIOS – ERIK RAMIREZ (INTERIM)                          TKO 10      MEXICO CITY      ST

31/10/2009   ANTONIO DeMARCO – JOSE ALFARO (INTERIM)                    TKO 10      LAS VEGAS.         LI

11/05/2013   ADRIAN HERNANDEZ – YADER CARDOZA                               UD 12        TOLUCA                 LF

15/02/2014   RENE ALVARADO – ROBINSON CASTELLANOS (SILVER) TKO 9        PTO. VALLARTA FE

28/06/2014   OSVALDO NOVOA – ALCIDES MARTINEZ                                 TKO 9        EPAZOYUCAN    ST

16/05/2015   ROMAN GONZALEZ – EDGAR SOSA                                             TKO 2        INGLEWOOD.      FL

15/08/2015   CARLOS CUADRAS – DICSON FLORES                                        TKO 5        GUAMUCHIL       SFL

10/09/2016   ROMAN GONZALEZ – CARLOS CUADRAS                                 UD 12        INGLEWOOD       SFL

18/11/2017   GILBERTO PARRA – LEYMAN BENAVIDEZ (SILVER)           TKO 4        CD. OBREGON    LF

20/12/2019   JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ – CRISTOFER ROSALES                  TKO 9        PHOENIX               FL

13/03/2021   JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA – ROMAN GONZALEZ              SD 12         DALLAS                 SFL

05/03/2022   ROMAN GONZALEZ – JULIO C. MARTINEZ                                UD 12        SAN DIEGO          SFL

 

Grand Finale for Gallo and Chocolatito

By James Blears

The Gila River Arena, in Glendale, Arizona will be the final showdown setting for Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada and arch rival Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez on December 3^rd and it`s the decider.

After two successful defenses, southpaw wunderkind/prodigy Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has vacated the World Boxing Council title, to return to 112 pounds, which is his natural weight category. So Gallo and Chocolatito who`ve both been champions at super fly and are already legendary, contest the vacant Green and Gold Belt.

We´ve had to be patient and wait for this trilogy classic. It should have happened in March but Juan Francisco tested positive for Covid 19.  Acknowledging that it was wise to fully recover, and not to return too early, which has physically cost other champions so dear, Juan Francisco sensibly bided his time.

In the meantime Chocolatito stayed busy by fighting WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar “With everything except fear” Martinez, who intrepidly took the fight at very short notice. He put up a brave performance, but the old master gave him a comprehensive, sustained boxing lesson to win an overwhelming UD. It kept Chocolatito sharp and tangy, while it taught JC an encyclopedia about the complexities of taking on an all- time great. Take a leaf out of that book!

Several months ago Chocolatito and Manger Carlos Blandon came to Mexico to participate in the opening of a new gym. Roman looked moon-faced, pudgy and cuddly. He`s since shed weight, spruced up and is ready to try and secure his legacy with Gallo.  Back then, Carlos Blandon said he hoped Juan Francisco would come through his comeback fight unscathed, so this decider could go ahead, and so it will.

Trained by the wily, sage, seasoned, veteran brilliant Hall of Fame Coach Ignacio “Nacho” Beristan, unfancied and unconsidered Argi Cortes was in tip top condition and fought the fight of his life in Hermosillo, to give Gallo a tough exacting comeback test. Argi lost a UD, but more than held his own, as Gallo shed some ring rust with a workmanlike performance. It was just what he needed.

Fans are hoping that Fight Three between Juan Francisco and Roman will be as great as their second encounter or even more dramatic. For Two, Compubox tabulated 2,529 punches which is a record for the division. As this fight unfolded, it became clear that we were witnessing sheer greatness.

In their first fight way back in 2012, twenty two year old Juan Francisco came down a division to light fly to fight then WBA champion Chocolatito, who`s three years older. Perhaps it was too much too soon? At that stage Gallo was still more callow than fully matured. He hadn`t yet grown into the frame of his body.

At the end of round one, he gave Chocolatito a long pensive stare, as if to acknowledge: “Now… I know just what I`m getting myself into.” Chocolatito was the hunter in the early stages and Gallo was countering. In the later stages, Gallo was pressing the action and actually driving the Nicaraguan back. Chocolatatio won a UD 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112. Victory was his, but it seemed appreciably closer than that.

In fight two where Juan Francisco was defending his WBC super-flyweight belt and Chocolatito was defending his WBA Super Belt, Juan was at his natural weight and those extra pounds were decisive.

Again, it was a variation of a chess match, with each vindicating, by demonstrating a whole variety plus mastery of punches. Roman was more instinctive, while Juan Francisco was more strategic and tactical. He superbly fought from middle distance gaining more leverage, and Chocolatito had to pay a smarting price to cut the distance and fight close in, where he excels. Chocolatito simply refused to back off or relent, but Gallo was proving significantly more accurate connecting.

It was a grandstand finish. Demonstrating their marvelous condition and unquenchable will to win, both went into overdrive and it became a titanic toe to toe slugfest. In that last round of this fight two, Chocolatito was gaining the upper hand, but then Gallo came straight back. The crowd was roaring. It was one of those moments, in the absence of full foliage up top, when you can feel the hairs at the back of your neck standing up and a frisson of thrill coursing through you. The WOW factor!

Boxing at its very best, it`s absolute finest. And then… you dread the verdict, because it`s going to mean that one as won and the other has lost after herculean efforts. One Judge had it 115-113 for Roman, while the other two had it 115-113 and 117-111 for Juan Francisco. It was a fabulous fight.

I think both have trained and strained in the mindset to go for broke and achieve a KO or a TKO this final time. Pecking order and sweet just desserts are at stake in the pages of Boxing greatness, and whoever is triumphant will be The Supreme One.

Standing five feet four inches, Juan Francisco is an inch taller than Roman. He has a sixty six inch reach, which is two more than Roman. Aged thirty two, he`s three years younger. His record is 43-3, 28 KO`s, while Roman is 50-3, 41 KO`s.

One yardstick binds them. Chocolatito lost by MD to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and then was KO`d by him in four rounds. He appears to have fully recovered from that considerable setback. Gallo lost an MD to the Thai southpaw power puncher, but then defeated him by UD.

For what`s almost certain to be their final encounter Juan and Roman might well pour it on earlier to test the waters and bring them to simmering and then boiling point. Neither are careless or wasteful punchers, so whoever wins will have to capitalize… IF there`s a momentary lapse or mistake, and ruthlessly exploit it.

Their first two have gone the distance. I don`t think number three will see or hear the final bell! We`ll soon see!