By Derek Bonnett: Many SecondsOut readers were first introduced to Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez back in June 2008. It was then that Gonzalez was profiled in my Each Nation’s Best column centered on Nicaragua. Gonzalez, then twenty years old, was an 18-0-0 (16) prospect just three fights away from capturing his first world title. Gonzalez would go on to dethrone Yutaka Niida to win the WBA minimumweight title. Just seven bouts and three title defenses later, he would become WBA light flyweight champion with his victory over Manuel Vargas. Four more title defenses inside of twelve more victories and Gonzalez would then be crowned WBC flyweight champion in 2014. With four stoppage victories, his third divisional title, and a quality defense under his belt, Gonzalez was a laudable candidate for Fighter of the Year in 2014. It was not to be; however, in 2015 the boxing masses are all craving a little “chocolate”. This year was a different story for Gonzalez as he won thrice and posted two of his most high-profile victories to date in front of HBO audiences. Here’s a look back at Roman Gonzalez’ resume in 2015 and why he is SecondsOut’s 2015 Fighter of the Year.
Gonzalez started 2015 on the heels of a November TKO over the formidable Rocky Fuentes in Japan, his third straight in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was a homecoming for Gonzalez, who returned to his native Managua, Nicaragua for a February non-title affair against veteran Valentin Leon. The three-division world champion entered the bout 41-0-0 (35) and with an extra layer of flesh around his mid-section for the super flyweight contest. For Gonzalez, the bout looked to be about sport in the opening frame. For Mexico’s Leon, a veteran with a who’s who of name contenders and champions on his dossier, it was the opportunity of a lifetime and he fought that way, boldly mixing it up with Gonzalez on the inside. Gonzalez was patient and punched with his trademark efficiency, but clearly was not looking to end matters within the first three minutes. Leon walked away with the round seemingly. With sweat pouring off his brow, Gonzalez opened round two with a “back to business” approach. A beautiful double left hook to the chin and body of Leon announced the champion’s arrival. Leon ate a volume of left hooks and right crosses, but never took a step in retreat or showed an ounce of fear for the man soon to be recognized as boxing’s premiere pugilist. In fact, after swallowing a flush right cross, he asked Gonzalez for another! Gonzalez provided in surplus. A pin-point right cross from Gonzalez punctuated a volley of punches and dropped Leon for the first time of the bout in round two. The bell promptly rung upon Leon’s rising and spared him an even earlier exit. Like a true “baby-faced assassin”, Gonzalez kept Leon hurt in the third, jumping on him with thunderous shots to the torso. Trading in the trenches, Leon again hit the canvas, this time under the pressure of a volume of power shots. Leon blamed the wet canvas and his gripe may have been legit, but the matter would prove inconsequential to the final outcome. Leon fell for a second time in the round after absorbing a variety of uppercuts and body shots from the flyweight champion. He rose, but this time, there was a discernible alteration to his countenance as Gonzalez rested in a neutral corner. Gonzalez went in for the finish, but Leon slipped to the canvas from poor balance. Leon rose, but was worked over along the ropes, prompting the end of the contest at the 2:27 mark. Gonzalez advanced to 42-0-0 (36). Leon bravely fell to 38-30-3 (21).
In May, Gonzalez made his HBO debut against Edgar Sosa, the former WBC light flyweight champion. Sosa upset Brian Viloria back in 2007 and reeled off ten successful title defenses. Sosa’s rise to flyweight saw him pitted against many of the best, dropping decisions to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and Akira Yaegashi, but defeating Ulises Solis and Giovani Segura in impressive fashion. To say the least, on paper, Sosa, 51-8-0 (30), looked to be one of Gonzalez’ most formidable challengers. The Nicaraguan sensation could not have produced a better performance in his “coming out party” for those fans who clearly were not paying attention. Sosa boxed well off the back foot, but Gonzalez effectively cut down the ring on the Mexican former world champion to keep his punch output low. The previous sparring sessions between Gonzalez and Sosa may also have attributed to some of Sosa’s reluctance to fully engage the champion too early. Gonzalez’ precise punches were divided among the body and head of Sosa, but the first round presented more of Gonzalez, the scientist, than the executioner. Early in round two, “Chocolatito” landed a sweet right hook which momentarily buckled Sosa at the knees. Gonzalez’ left to the body and right to the chin became can’t miss punches for him as the round neared the midway mark. A right cross coming off the jab convinced Sosa’s legs to take a break about a minute and a half into round two. Sosa rose glossy eyed and wounded. A pair of off the mark uppercuts and a right hand produced knockdown number two just seconds later. Gonzalez went into finishing mode as he overwhelmed Sosa with a multitude of hooks and uppercuts. The onslaught as a whole forced Sosa to the canvas for a third time to prompt the referee’s intervention at the 2:37 mark. Gonzalez elevated his resume to 43-0-0 (37) with the second defense of his WBC flyweight crown. Sosa fell to 51-9-0 (30) and has yet to make a ring return.
In November, I traveled to Madison Square Garden along with fellow SecondsOut writer Jason Pribila to see Gonzalez’ technical prowess showcased for the first time on Pay-Per-View. Gonzalez took on future Hall of Famer Brian Viloria, a former holder of four belts between 108 and 112 pounds. The Nicaraguan was tested early on Viloria put his Hawaiian punch arsenal on display to take an early lead on the favored Gonzalez. Gonzalez was either sitting back to see what Viloria had to offer or he was legitimately overwhelmed by the American flyweight’s aggression. Viloria’s hooks spoke of bad intentions as he was especially vigilant in his body attack. Then, the tide turned. A short right hand dropped Viloria in round three. That was all the champion needed to convince him it was time to employ his uppercut full-time. The overhand right did wonders for the Nicaraguan as well. Surprisingly, Viloria stayed composed in the fourth, but he never captured the momentum back. Desperation snuck its way into Viloria’s game as his punches seemed too wide and aimed for the fences. Gonzalez opened up with a vast array of punches in the fifth. Viloria took the punches well, but there was clearly a toll being exacted by the precision punching champion. Viloria’s punches became wilder and less effective in finding their mark. Gonzalez showed an effective range of punches from uppercuts to overhand rights to beautiful body blows. Viloria returned his attention to the body as well later in the fight. A right hand wobbled Viloria late in the sixth and by the end of the seventh, Gonzalez was landing with frightening accuracy on an obviously tiring Viloria. Combination after combination, Gonzalez showed exactly why many favor him as the heir to the pound for pound throne. In the ninth round, Benji Estevez saved Viloria from further punishment after Gonzalez rocked him with a series of combinations. Viloria wobbled and fell into the ropes where Gonzalez opened up with a barrage of punches. The official end came at the 2:53 mark. Gonzalez notched his fourth defense of the WBC flyweight title and lifted his dossier to 44-0-0 (38). Viloria fell to 36-5-0 (22).
Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez produced a marvelous 2015, posting two top victories in his career. Most importantly, Gonzalez single handedly brought major network attention to boxing’s lightest divisions, something a lighter weight fighter has not been able to do since Michael Carbajal, Humberto Gonzalez, and Ricardo Lopez competed. With the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Gonzalez has commanded the attention of boxing pundits world-wide and earned near universal recognition as the sport’s pound for pound top fighter. In a year when Gennady Golovkin, Saul Alvarez, James DeGale, and Jamie McDonnell all produced commanding performances in the biggest bouts of their careers, Roman Gonzalez stood above the entire field of candidates to become boxing’s littlest giant and SecondsOut’s 2015 Fighter of the Year. Recent recipients of this honor include Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, Adonis Stevenson in 2013, and Terence Crawford in 2014.
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