Roman Gonzalez KO's Father Time

Saturday night, future first ballot Hall of Fame bound flyweight star, and pound-for-pound legend, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, continued with a great performance against Julio Cesar Martinez at Pechanga Arena in the beautiful city of San Diego, California.

Gonzalez, at age 34, (older for a 115-pound fighter) is not supposed to be putting on masterful clinics at boxing’s highest level but that is exactly what he did. Gonzalez outpunched, outhustled, outboxed and ultimately dominated a game, but (by fight’s end) deflated Martinez, in their junior bantamweight fight. In the end all 3 judges saw “Chocolatito” bringing in a dominant performance and it showed on the cards. After twelve rounds, scores were 118-110, 117-111, 116-112. The win will put the Nicaraguan star in a good spot to fight for another world title fight.

Gonzalez turned pro in 2005 and went a perfect 20-0 before putting the WBA minimum weight title in his trophy case in 2008. He made 3 defences of the title before adding the WBA light flyweight title in 2010. Over the next 4 years he would make 5 title defences. In 2014, he added the WBC light fly title and went on to make 4 defences of that title. In 2017 he hit the wall when he was beaten in back-to-back fights (the second a vicious knockout) with Srisaket Sor Rungvisai; at age 30 with 48 fights in the bank, many felt he was nearing the end, if not at it.

However, Gonzalez took some time off to rest and came back in 2018 and picked up 2 wins over the next year. He then added the WBA super fly title to his resume with an impressive stoppage of undefeated Khlaid Yafai in early 2020. He made one defense of the title in 2020 before challenging Juan Francisco Estrada for the WBA and WBC super-fly titles in 2021, losing a very controversial SD over 12 rounds in a fight most people felt he won.

So, on Saturday night, he came back against a former world champion, a fighter 7 years younger (a huge age gap at this weight) and handled him for all 12 rounds in a great performance in a career of great performances.

Speaking after the fight, Gonzalez was happy with the win and didn’t sound like a guy who was done just yet. And, he also praised Martinez for showing heart in a fight that could have been stopped later in the bout.

“I’m thankful to God because he gave me another day with a victory,” Gonzalez said. “We still don’t know when I’m gonna retire. Maybe a few more fights. I came in really good condition for this fight. That’s why I’m here”, he said. “I wanted to feel his power first. I wanted to work with him little by little and that’s what I did,” Gonzalez said. “My corner told me not to give him any rounds. He was very courageous. He can take a lot of punishment. I’m very surprised (that he went 12 rounds) but that indicates that he came in really great condition.”

As for what is next, Gonzalez, legacy intact, is looking to get the best fights available and pad the retirement account (something he has more than earned).

“Whatever comes,” Gonzalez said. “The boss (Hearn) is right here. He’ll decide, as long as they pay me well.”

At his age, with a lotta miles on him over 54 career fights, with 25 of them being for a title, you know he has much more behind him than ahead. So, on Saturday night, as I watched him I thought, ‘I am going to enjoy every minute this guy is in the ring because when it’s over I will have witnessed a truly Hall of Fame career and I was lucky to enjoy it in real time’.

Viva Chocolatito!