.jpg)
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez has come to grips with his latest defeat, to the point where he is not in a hurry to rewatch the fight.
In an outcome which continues to generate spirited debate, Nicaragua’s Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) landed on the wrong end of a 12-round split decision to Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) in their thriller World junior bantamweight championship rematch. Judge Jesse Reyes had the bout 115-113 in favor of Gonzalez, overruled by judges David Sutherland (115-113) and now-suspended Carlos Sucre (117-111) who had Estrada winning the March 13 bout at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Ever the humble warrior, the former four-division champ accepted the outcome even if he felt in his heart that he deserved to win. It’s where he remains, though not a moment he has yet decided to relive.
“I have only watched highlights,” Gonzalez confessed during a recent media conference call. “I believe the game plan was well executed that we worked on in the gym.
“Unfortunately, the decision did not go our way.”
Gonzalez prevailed by unanimous decision in the first fight with Estrada, back in Nov. 2012 in what marked the final defense of his junior flyweight title reign. Both boxers would go on to claim championships at flyweight and junior bantamweight, with Gonzalez’s second 115-pound title reign coming to a close with the contentious loss to Estrada.
The loss ended a five-fight win streak since rebounding from back-to-back defeats to Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2017. The outcome earlier this month remains a letdown, though on a night where the 33-year old modern-day ring legend knows he gave his very best and with the rest out of his control.
“I feel good. I am happy and have been embraced by my family since returning home. I was pleased by my performance even though the outcome that it didn’t go our way.”
The World Boxing Council recently ordered Estrada and Gonzalez to collide in a trilogy fight.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox