Chocolatito on Fire! The Super Flyweight Division is on Fire! A Hot Ticket in 2022

Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Almost a year after losing a controversial 12 round split decision to Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez has won a 12 round unanimous decision over an overweight Julio Cesar Martinez to claim the vacant World Boxing Council Diamond Super Flyweight title, on March 5, 2022, at Pechanga Arena, in San Diego, California.

Gonzalez, 51-3 with 41 knockouts, Managua, Nicaragua, was supposed to fight a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada, 42-3 with 28 knockouts, Hermosillo, Mexico, the current WBA Super and WBC Super Flyweight champion who dethroned him and took his WBA Super World Super Flyweight title last March. Estrada got COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus, and Martinez stepped in.

With this win, Chocolatito Gonzalez proved he still deserves the rematch he was supposed to get originally with Estrada. The WBA has ordered Estrada to make a mandatory titular defense against 18-1-2 Joshua Franco of San Antonio, Texas, the WBA regular World super Flyweight champion.

Meanwhile, southpaw former WBC World Super Flyweight champion Wisaksil Wangek, 50-5-1 with 43 knockouts, Si Sa Ket, Thailand, has won three comeback bouts since losing his title to Estrada in April 2019, and is due for a rematch as well, though he has been inactive for a year. He could also challenge WBO World Super Flyweight champion Katsuto Ioka, 28-2 with 15 knockouts, Tokyo, Japan.

Donnie Nietes, 43-1-6 with 23 knockouts, Bacolod City, Philippines, a former WBO Light Flyweight and IBF Flyweight World champion, is campaigning at super flyweight. 14-0 Fernando Martinez of Buenos Aires, Argentina holds the IBF World Super Flyweight title at the moment. 33-2-1 Jerwin Ancajas of Panabo City, Philippines, lost his IBF Super Flyweight world title to Martinez last week in Las Vegas by 12 round decision. 16-1 former WBO World Super Flyweight champion Kosei Tanaka, of Nagoya, Japan, who lost his title to Ioka, won a comeback bout in December 2021, so is ready to challenge for a world title again. 35-5-1 Francisco Rodriguez Jr. of Monterrey, Mexico, who lost to Ioka in September 2021 in his world title bid, won a comeback bout in January 2022. Overall, the super flyweight is a hot division on fire with much competitive talent, with much to prove in 2022.




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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].