Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez usually bested those who dared try him. The best light flyweight and flyweight had graduated to super flyweight, where he captured yet another championship belt. However, on his first title defense, his train was derailed when Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai was awarded the majority decision in their March battle.
The fight was what truly courageous boxing is all about, standing in the center of the ring and slugging it out! Thailand has always been known to produce tough-as-nails competitors in boxing and kickboxing, and Rungvisai is no exception. The two went shot-for-shot, with both taking rounds and surviving the full 12 brutal stanzas for the decision.
Hey Harold: Sor Rungvisai vs. Chocolatito 2
HBO Boxing unofficial scorer Harold Lederman previews the rematch of Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs. Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez. Sor Rungvisai vs. Chocolatito happens Saturday, September 9 at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT on HBO Boxing After Dark.
Headbutts defined the fight as both Rungvisai and Gonzalez led with their heads offensively, but Rungvisai unleashed the most seemingly intentional damage. Referee Steve Willis even took a point from Rungvisai with 18 seconds left in round six after a clash of heads opened a bad cut on the right eye of Gonzalez that he ruled intentional.
Still, judges Glenn Feldman and Julie Lederman both scored it 114-112 in favor of Sor Rungvisai. Waleska Roldan, of Jeff Horn vs. Manny Pacquiao fame, scored the fight 113-113 to make it a majority decision win.
ESPN unofficially scored the bout at a wide 117-109 in favor of Gonzlez.
Lookback: Chocolatito vs. Sor Rungvisai (3/18/17)
Revisit the March 18, 2017 slugfest between Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai ahead of their rematch for the WBC Super Flyweight championship on September 9 at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT on HBO Boxing After Dark.
This is why this is the fight to watch this weekend. It is going to be a war. Rematches of this caliber are rarely made due to the vulnerability of the first pairing’s victor. Rungvisai won the WBC super flyweight title and as a relative unknown, he is to be commended for the rematch. He could have stalled, played the name game and basically halted Chocolatito’s immense buzz as boxing’s possible pound-for-pound king.
But he didn’t. The fact that they are fighting six months from their last scrap is even more enticing.
The Nicaraguan-born Chocolatito has been the talk of boxing insiders for years. Promoted by K2 Promotions, the now retired Klitschko brothers company, he is in a stable that includes middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
The first fight against Rungvisai was the co-main event of Golovkin vs. Jacobs and the pairing arguably overshadowed the main event. The boos from the sold out Madison Square Garden that night said it all and the polarizing nature of the decision demanded the rematch.
On Saturday on HBO, live from the Stub Hub Center in Carson, CA the question of if Chocolatito was robbed will hopefully be answered.
