Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (51-3, 41 KOs) came in at 114.7 lbs and Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) weighed in at 115 lbs at the super flyweight limit for Saturday’s trilogy match between these two future Hall of Famers at the Desert Diamond Arena, in Glendale, Arizona. Estrada, 32, will be defending his WBC and Ring Magazine super flyweight titles against the favorite Chocolatito live on DAZN for their event that begins at 9:00 p.m. ET.
In the co-feature bout, WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs) came in at 111 lbs, while the unbeaten challenger Samuel Carmona (8-0, 4 KOs) scaled in at 111.4 lbs.
Weights:
- Juan Estrada – 115lbs vs. Roman Gonzalez – 114.7lbs
- Julio Cesar Martinez 111 vs. Samuel Carmona 111.4
“I want to see Chocolatito win because I want to see those fights against Bam [Rodriguez], but he’ll probably go down [to 112] in his next fight. I’m desperate to see that, and I’m desperate to see him against Nakatabi as well. So, two young unbeaten guys in the super flyweight division as well,” said Ade Oladipo to DAZN’s JABS about this Saturday night’s Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez trilogy fight.
“I think in boxing, we’re wanting to see Chocolatito against Rodriguez and Chocolatito against Nakatani. So for me, it’s more important to see Chocolatito to win. But for Estrada, because I’ve said he’s plateaued, I think he needs to look really, really good and win, or I think, it could be a case of him being fed to the sharks, and that’s the end for him.
“With Chocolatito, there still looks like there’s something left. So, I think it’s more important for Estrada to win because if he doesn’t, that’s that. But from a boxing fan’s standpoint, and I think this is a bit more selfish, I want Chocolatito to win because I want to see how he deals with Bam, especially after how we saw Bam run through the older statesman in Rungvisai and Cuadras.
“I want to see how Bam handles Chocolatito. More importantly, how Chocolatito can handle someone young and hungry like a Bam. I want Chocolatito to win. I think it’s more important that he wins for the sake of match-ups in the division,” said Oladipo.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Bam in Arizona. He’s going to be down there. I have to look him in the eye and say, ‘I know you’re going to 112, but can you really turn down a fight against Chocolatito if it’s offered to you in March or April of next year?'” said Chris Mannix. “That’s all I want to know from Bam Rodriguez at this point.
“I think it’s more important to Estrada, even though if Chocolatito loses, there’s a decent chance his career is over. He may decide to retire if he loses this third fight to Estrada.
“For Estrada, he’s trying to put himself on the same level as Chocolatito when it comes to this four kings era of the super flyweight division with Cuadras, Rungvisai, and the guys that made up the bones of that division.
“A win over Chocolatito, especially a decisive one, will make you say, Maybe Estrada was the better of the two guys in the 115-pound division, or at least he’s on that same level.’ A loss will clearly solidify Chocolatito at the top of the 115-lb hierarchy there.
“For Estrada, his career doesn’t end with a loss. He can easily go to 118, and once those belts fracture when [Naoya] Inoue gets out of that weight class, he’s going to have an opportunity to be a title holder, a unified title holder, or maybe undisputed title holder if he keeps fighting over the next few years.
“So, I think there’s still a pathway for big fights for Estrada if he wins, but if he loses, we will know once and for all who the kingpin was for 115,” said Mannix.
“Yeah, that’s a great point. I remember looking at the pound-for-pound rankings after their second fight, and people still had Chocolatito above Estrada in their pound-for-pound rankings,” said Oladipo.
“I did,” said Mannix.
“So a lot of people thought Chocolatito won that second fight, and I feel like you’re correct,” said Oladipo. “Estrada needs to win it almost to silence those critics that come from that second fight. Whereas if Chocolatito wins, he’s the king of this division from this generation, this era of fighters with Cuadras and Rungvisai.
“So look, agree, it’s more important for Estrada, but from the fan’s perspective. and now you mention that Bam will be there, I really hope that Chocolatito wins, and I really hope that and Bams is not that kind of character, but I hope he says, ‘I’m getting in the ring.’
“That’s the fight I’m desperate to see. I know that Bam wants to go down, and he wants the Sunny Edwards fight and others, but really and truly, the sort of fight that stays on your resume forever and is stamped on your resume is Bam vs. Chocolatito at super fly.
“If I’m Chocolatito, I want that young, hungry guy that is destroying and has no respect for the older statesman for the division. That’s what I want to see next. So for me, I’m desperate to see a Chocolatito win,” said Oladipo.