Chocolatito Wows San Diego

Chocolatito Wows San Diego Fans and More

By Uppercut Staff

Photos by Al Applerose

SAN DIEGO-Class was in session as Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez instructed fellow world champion Julio Cesar Martinez in the higher art of prizefighting at a packed arena in San Diego.

Chocolatito (51-3, 41 Kos) silenced the pro-Mexican crowd with a steady performance of laser sharp punches that Mexico’s Martinez (18-2, 14 Kos) could not avoid at the Pechanga Arena on Saturday March 5. It was champion to champion, but the difference in talent was stark.

Boxing celebrities were abundant like Mikey Garcia, Canelo, Alycia Baumgardner, Devin Haney, Seniesa Estrada, Joshua Franco and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

Though Martinez, the current WBC flyweight world titlist, had youth, power and trainer Eddy Reynoso at his side and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez cheering him on, there was nothing he could do to stem the blows from the machine-like Gonzalez. Nothing at all.

After a tepid first round, the fighter known as Chocolatito went to work and it was simply amazing to see.

The combination punching of Gonzalez befuddled Martinez who tried his best to match wits but was unable to keep the pace. Every so often the Mexican fighter would be crunched with a blow and rallied back furiously. But it was never enough and seldom made the Nicaraguan legend blink.

At the end of the rounds Chocolatito would touch gloves with Martinez as if to say you are doing good kid.

The Nicaraguan fighter has won world titles in four weight divisions and will be a unanimous vote into the Boxing Hall of Fame when he retires. But it may not be too soon.

Though 34 years old and a resume full of previous wars, Gonzalez seems to be able to out-work younger champions. Usually, fighters in the lower weight classes do not last long, but Gonzalez seems to be setting a new standard.

After 12 furious rounds of fending off the constant attacks of Mexico’s Martinez, all three judges agreed that Gonzalez was the winner by unanimous decision 118-110, 117-111, 116-112.

“Martinez was courageous and could take a lot of punishment,” said Gonzalez. “I was very surprised.”

Other bouts

Mexico’s Mauricio Lara (24-2-1, 17 Kos) knocked out Southern California’s Emilio Sanchez (19-2, 12 Kos) but it was three rounds of explosive punching while it lasted between the two featherweights. It was a fan favorite and the crowd cheered each second of the round. Explosive ending.

A regional lightweight title fight between Angel Fierro (19-1-2) and Juan Carlos Burgos (34-6-3) ended in a split draw after 10 back and forth rounds. Tijuana’s Burgos used his old tricks to jump out in front but the younger Fierro was able to figure out the Mexican fighter’s style and roared down the stretch with an aggressive attack. He slowed a bit in the stretch and that allowed Burgos to steal some rounds. But the last round may have decided the draw as Fierro was able to connect with heavier shots. After 10 rounds one judge scored it 96-94 Burgos but two others saw it 95-95 for the split draw.

France’s Soulleymane Cissokho (15-0, 9 Kos) hit and moved his way to victory despite an exchange of knockdowns with Robert Valenzuela Jr. (19-3, 19 Kos) in the fourth round of the super welterweight fight.

After the fourth round Cissokho got on his bicycle and ran his way to victory but stopped just enough to rattle off combinations against Valenzuela who loaded up too much while looking for the knockout. The judges scored the regional title fight 100-90, 99-91 twice for Cissokho.

Diego Pacheco (14-0, 11 Kos) met someone near his size in Genc Pllana (9-4-1) but still blew out his foe in the second round. Pacheco floored Pllana in the first round with a three-punch combination. The finished the job in the second round with a four-punch combination that included two vicious left hooks to end the fight at 1:29 of the second round of their super middleweight fight.

Fresno’s Marc Castro (6-0, 5 KOs) survived a knockdown early in the fight to out-box and out-punch Mexico’s Julio Madera (3-2) and win by unanimous decision after six rounds in a lightweight bout. Madera scored a knockdown with a left hook to the chin during a furious exchange in the second round. After the knockdown, Castro refrained from throwing more than three-punch combinations and swept the rest of the rounds to win by unanimous decision 58-55 on all three cards.

Australia’s Skye Nicolson (1-0) an amateur star was able to use her quickness and mobility to win by unanimous decision against San Diego’s Jessica Juarez (3-1). Very few punches were actually thrown or connected in the six round super featherweight bout. Instead, Nicolson slapped and tapped her way to victory against Juarez who had no idea how to cut off the ring. Boring stuff. Lots of touch fighting and few exchanges.