JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA RELINQUISHES WBA FLYWEIGHT TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 15 Sep 2016
Estrada.
The World Boxing Association has announced that Juan Francisco Estrada has officially vacated his WBA flyweight belt, after dealing with a bad hand injury which has kept him inactive since September 2015.
Estrada told BoxingScene.com a few days ago that his right hand was fully healed and he was ready to make his mandatory defense of the WBA title against Japan's Kazuto Ioka. Those plans have obviously changed.
According to the WBA, Estrada's promoter, Zanfer Promotions, sent them a letter on Wednesday which advised them of his decision to vacate. There was no specific reason given, other than Estrada is mulling his options for the future.
The 26-year-old Estrada who has a record of 33-2, 24 KOs, is still the flyweight champion under the WBO. There are rumors in Mexico that he's likely going to vacate the WBO title as well, in order to move up in weight to the super flyweight division fueling rumors that Estrada is chasing a lucrative rematch with recently crowned super flyweight champion and unbeaten pound for pound No.1 Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez of Nicaragua.
"Chocolatito" Gonzalez, who won a war over Estrada in 2012 in a junior flyweight title clash, recently made the jump to super flyweight and captured the WBC title from Carlos Cuadras last Saturday night in Los Angeles. Estrada may be chasing the lucrative fight.
Boxing Scene reports that a rematch between Gonzalez and Estrada is one of the biggest fights to be made in the lower weight divisions. HBO is very interested in the fight, but both combatants have been very vocal about receiving seven figure purses for the rematch - which may cause an issue with HBO picking up the fight.
Estrada won the WBA/WBO titles with a split decision victory over the Philippines Brian Viloria on April 6, 2013 at the Cotai Arena in Macau. Viloria controlled the early rounds as he out-boxed Estrada but made the mistake of trying to slug it out in the second half of the fight and paid the price as Estrada took over the latter rounds of the fight with crisp combinations that left Viloria staggered.
Estrada then successfully defended his belt against another Filipino, Milan Melindo of the ALA Gym also in a Top Rank promotion in Macau on July 23 that same year.
Estrada won by a 10th round TKO over Filipino challenger Richie Mepranum on April 26, 2014 before a tough battle against Joebert Alvarez, a fighter of Nonito "Dodong? Donaire, father of five division world champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire and then ripped Rommel Asenjo to score a 3rd round TKO in Yucatan, Mexico on March 28, 2015.
Estrada's last fight was a 10th round knockout of fellow Mexican Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez on September 26, 2015.
There?s no official word yet from the WBO on whether Estrada has also relinquished his belt.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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