The No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world had his hands full, but ultimately accomplished something his hero and fellow countryman Alexis Arguello couldn?t do by winning a world title in his fourth weight class as Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez (46-0, 38 KOs) defeated Carlos Cuadras (35-1-1, 27 KOs) by unanimous decision for the WBC super flyweight title.
It was a sensational fight, full of back-and-forth action that may have caught many fans at The Forum by surprise considering that Gonzalez is known for overwhelming his opponents with his high octane offense and thudding power shots. That was certainly not the case on Saturday as Cuadras made the fight more competitive than anticipated by being crafty and showing off his athleticism.
?It was a very difficult fight,? Gonzalez said, with swelling under both eyes. ?This was the most difficult fight that I?ve had in my career.?
Although the Nicaraguan made history and cemented his place in boxing?s hall of fame, the story of the fight was Cuadras? heart and ability to stay in the fight while Gonzalez was unable to detonate one of those thunderous punches to end the night early.
It was entertaining from the outset as Gonzalez came out looking to make a statement against Cuadras after being unable to score a knockout against McWilliams Arroyo in his last fight. He sprinted at his Mexican opponent and looked to break him down with power shots. However, Cuadras remained composed and refused to wilt under the Nicaraguan?s pressure.
With a raucous crowd alternating between ?Nicaragua? and ?Mexico? chants, Gonzalez and Cuadras engaged in a fascinating fight that shifted in the middle rounds as Cuadras would escape the pressure and land counter punches that took some of the wind out of Gonzalez?s sails. As the fight progressed, Gonzalez appeared to tire as Cuadras? punches pierced the Nicaraguan?s defense and showed their effect on his face.
Gonzalez, who normally lands a considerably higher amount of punches than his opponent, only out-landed Cuadras in the 12-round fight by a margin of 323 to 258. But his advances and ring generalship were ultimately the difference maker.
It was clear that Gonzalez wasn?t as powerful and fast as he had been at a smaller weight. However, the relentless pressure remained intact and banked enough rounds early to earn scores of 117-111, 116-112, 115-113.
With the victory, there is a possibility that Gonzalez could face Japanese sensation and WBO champion Naoya Inoue in his next fight and that would certainly be a treat for fight fans.
