WBC super flyweight champion Juan Francisco ‘El Gallo’ Estrada 42-3 (28) won a split decision victory over WBA champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez 50-3 (41) in an all-out war at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Saturday night.
The fight was a rematch of their classic battle in Los Angeles nine years ago that Gonzalez won on points.
The two little masters combined to throw 2,529 punches according to CompuBox, a record for the 115-pound weight class. That gives you an idea of how fast and furious the action was.
Mexico’s Estrada, 30, started fast behind a solid left jab, backing up Gonzalez in the opening frame. But the evergreen 33-year-old Nicaraguan worked his way into the fight in the second round and seemed to get on top of the action in the third and fourth stanzas.
The pace never let up in the middle rounds with Estrada working his way back into the fight. Gonzalez, true to form, came on in the later rounds and by most pundits’ estimations had done enough to get the nod. He performed brilliantly in the championship rounds.
CompuBox had the pair landing a combined 705 punches, with Gonzalez claiming 391 of the connected shots compared to 314. He swept the last three rounds landing 127 total punches to 90, including an edge of 112 to 88 in power punches.
Whichever way you sliced it, it was a close and competitive fight. Estrada’s corner didn’t think so though, warning him he needed a knockout to win late in the fight.
When the dust settled, they need not have worried. Judge Jesse Reyes gave Gonzalez the nod with a 115-113 scorecard, while judge David Sutherland had it the other way 115-113 for Estrada. Few would agree with judge Carlos Sucre’s rendering of 117-111 for Estrada, but it was enough for the WBC champion to add the WBA belt to his collection.
“I knew it was a close fight,” Estrada said. “I didn’t know if I were up or down, but I wanted to close out the fight in the last couple of rounds.”
Gonzalez was shattered with the result but happy with the way the fight played out.
“It was a better fight than the first one,” Gonzalez said. “I felt strong and I felt I’d won it, but it was a great [fight]. But that’s what God wanted. The result is what God wanted. I’m happy because I’m going back home to see my family.”
If there is any such thing as a sure thing in boxing, it is a third fight between this dynamic duo.
And if that doesn’t happen first-up, it will likely be a trilogy fight with power-punching Thai southpaw Srisaket Sor Rungvisai 50-5-1 (43) who defeated overmatched compatriot Ekkawit Songnui 58-1 (27) by third-round knockout in his homeland on Saturday.
Rungvisai and Estrada are 1-1 in world championship fights with both bouts going to the cards.
