Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin had some competition on American television last week. Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez was showcased in the co-feature of the Premium Boxing Network (HBO), and dazzled the American fans even more so than the Middleweight Slugger Golovkin.
The boxing world was a buzz as “Chocolatito” annihilated veteran Edgar Sosa via a 2nd round TKO on Saturday night. While Gonzalez‘ arrival on American television was short lived, it completed the task of wanting the public, and HBO, to be itching for more.
The idea that this professional boxer has finally arrived is a bit misleading. A professional boxer since 2005, with 43 professional fights, all victories, Roman Gonzalez arrived a long time ago, thank you very much. But just like the Beatles once said, the hits do not matter until you are a hit in the grand United States of America.
As a boxing junkie, I find this a bit offensive because boxing is a much bigger sport outside of America and I have been ordering tapes to watch Gonzalez fight for a few years now. Not only that, Gonzalez has already fought in America, so there was no real arrival to boast of, been there done that American boxing audience.
For the sake of being half-full, I will switch gears and say better late than never. Now that the genie is out of the bottle, the boxing public should have even more fun watching “Chocolatito”. He is a superior talent, a bundle of aggression who knows how to cut off the ring and throw sharp combinations. Universal ingredients for a great TV fighter. Gonzalez will be must see television from this point on.
The Nicaraguan born star is a vast contrast to fellow countryman Ricardo Mayorga, a recent boxing ratings generator. While just as offensive, Gonzalez is more controlled and disciplined when picking a fight. Mayorga brought asses to the seats, and eyeballs to the sets, because of his reckless abandonment – “Chocolatito” is a much more well-rounded boxer, but just as deadly.
Of course when you think of controlled, but deadly Nicaraguan boxers, you can not help but think of Alexis Arguello, one of the most beloved cross-over boxers ever and one of the most entertaining to watch. Gonzalez has a long way to go, to even begin to warrant being in the same sentence as Arguello, but that is no knock on him, as that applies to 98 percent of the pugilists today.
Another factor that has kept Gonzalez out of the American spotlight, for so long, is that he is a flyweight. Typically, Americans do not watch the little guys. Yes, Michael Carbajal made great strides in this area back in the 1990’s, however, the interest in smaller weight fighters seems to have regressed on American TV. Or has it?
I think if you put great talent on the TV, American fight fans will watch and appreciate, despite the weight class. I just feel the powers that be tend to want to go big with their choice of boxing on TV because they feel it is safer, thus have not done a good job showcasing the very interesting smaller weight classes.
Bigger is better – is a human condition for Americans; most Americans consume more in weight in a day in meals, than what a flyweight tips the scale at. So, it is a good thing HBO finally woke up and featured a flyweight that has been dazzling the boxing world for years. Big fights with little guys are on the horizon, as well as big thrills, for the American audience. Yes the rest of the planet knew this already, but Americans are sometimes slow to catch on. As a native New Yorker, I am more than qualified to speak on this.
For better or for worse, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez has fully arrived on the boxing scene after Jim Lampley regurgitated Comp-U-Box numbers in his honor. Let the legacy begin.
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