[ad_1]
After three fights and 36 rounds between two future Hall of Famers, the rivalry between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez still isn’t quite settled.
Estrada defeated Gonzalez via majority decision on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, to retain his lineal 115-pound championship, but the result was far from convincing.
One judge scored it even but was overruled by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Estrada.
ESPN scored the bout 114-114.
Estrada, a 32-year-old Mexican fighter who also captured the vacant WBC junior bantamweight title, controlled the first half of the fight by boxing from the outside. He regularly timed Gonzalez with a crisp left hand to the body that disrupted his rhythm and surely contributed to his slow start.
Estrada was able to walk Gonzalez into counter shots while he swept the first five rounds on two scorecards. But after a sluggish start, Gonzalez suddenly found his footing in Round 6.
Gonzalez cranked up the volume and swarmed Estrada, who was now repeatedly pinned on the ropes by Gonzalez’s increased output. Gonzalez continued to come forward and poured punches on Estrada, who couldn’t match his older foe shot for shot. Gonzalez swept Rounds 6 through 10 on two scorecards.
The championship rounds were the difference. Estrada won Rounds 11 and 12 on two scorecards to avoid the draw and closed strong with a clear final frame in which he connected on 26 punches, his best of the fight.
“I do believe that Roman deserves a fourth fight,” Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) said in Spanish in translated comments. “I think we left the result clear about who the winner was, and if he wants the fourth fight, we can do it.
Estrada added: “He’s a future Hall of Famer. I won today out of my own merit. It doesn’t take…
[ad_2]
