When they met in March of last year, little giants Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez put on a simply excellent firefight. The 12 rounds of non-stop action that came had fans, and promoters, jumping up and down, utterly celebrating the action. Now, a year on, we can brace ourselves for a third battle between the two super-flyweights.
According to a tweet from the always in the know Mike Coppinger, the two 115-pounders have each signed on for the three-match, to go ahead in San Diego on March 5, to be shown live on DAZN. This is great news, for all fight fans, but especially for all of us who so enjoyed the fight from last year.
These two first met way back in November of 2012, when Nicaraguan great Gonzalez won a unanimous decision down at light-fly. The rematch was over eight years in the making, but the third fight in this special trilogy will not be so long in coming.
The second fight, which took place in Dallas on March 13, was truly special. Both men gave their all, with the 12 round split decision going the Mexican warrior’s way.
So who wins fight-three? Gonzalez, who felt he had done enough to win the rematch, is no spring chicken at age 34, but he has looked very, very good in his last handful of fights; winning four on the spin after his stoppage loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (in another rematch) and then dropping the close one to Estrada.
At 50-3(41), Gonzalez might not have too many great efforts left in him and the third Estrada fight will be “Chocolatito’s” first bout in a full year. Maybe the rest will have done Gonzalez the power of good.
Estrada, 42-3(28) and three years the younger man at age 31, is a super-strong fighter and he too will no doubt be itching to get back into the ring after 12 months out. Really, this upcoming fight cannot help but be something special once again.
Estrada’s WBA 115 pound belt will be on the line, but there will be much more than just that at stake. Fights one and two between these two future Hall of Famers were fantastic. Might fight-three be the best of the trio?
