Roman Gonzalez: The Year In Review

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    Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez ended 2012 with a bang with a unanimous decision victory over Juan Francisco Estrada so one would think with such a tremendous showing by both fighters that a rematch would take place or both fighters would move on to other big fights. For Estrada that happened but for Gonzalez he spent most of the first half of the year waiting for an opponent to take a fight with him.

    Gonzalez spent most of the year chasing after Juan Carlos Reveco of Argentina as well as the other flyweight champions including a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada.

    The wait for Gonzalez finally ended when Ronald Barrera of Colombia stepped up to take on Gonzalez in May. Gonzalez got some rounds in and finished off Barrera in the fifth round of their bout and then the waiting game began again but this time it would not be as long.

    Four months later Gonzalez would take on Francisco Rodriguez Jr. of Mexico in Nicaragua and take his opponent out in the seventh round.

    Hopes for a title fight with Reveco were high but most likely not going to happen within the year since Reveco was scheduled to fight in October and Gonzalez was scheduled to fight in November.

    Instead Oscar Blanquet of Mexico would step up to Gonzalez in a short fight that took place in Tokyo. Gonzalez made quick work of Blanquet who was being punished from every punch. The fight did not even make it to the third round. 

    Gonzalez went from fighting four times in 2012 to wondering if he was going to fight at all in 2013. There were no titles won and no big names but a light has shinned at the end of the tunnel. Negotiations for a possible title fight with Reveco seem to have gotten better and Estrada has stated that he wants to rematch Gonzalez.

    As 2013 comes to a close one could come to expect bigger and better opportunities on the horizon for 2014. Gonzalez will look to establish himself as the man to beat in the flyweight division next year and should any of the major networks pick up on the fighter from Nicaragua then the boxing public will see why he is one of the most avoided fighters in the lower weight divisions