Roman Gonzalez vs. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai: Chocolatito Wins in Loss
By Mark F. Villanueva
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 22 Mar 2017
Nicaraguan pro boxer Roman Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand aligned themselves in the middle of the ring, setting themselves up like cowboys in the wild wild west for a draw. The crowd had already seen the unheralded Thai tumble in their imagination, expecting a quick end to his attempt to unseat the number one ranked fighter in the world pound for pound.
Gasps followed as it was Chocolatito instead who fell on the canvas from a stealthy shot to the body. Nobody could believe it, more so beyond belief was Roman, the man unbeaten in more than a decade with a record of 46-0. Gonzales got up, unflinching, now almost denuded as a fighter to everyone?s prying eyes.
Roman Gonzalez fought the next rounds like a man who realizes he?s got nothing to lose. While most cheered him on, naturally, some started to discount his achievements now that a weakness in his armor has been surprisingly discovered. Those who questioned his status in the boxing world in the first place would start with the usual phrase of ?I told you so??
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, a former trash collector, proved like many relentless boxers before him, that hard work does indeed pay off. Where once he had to eat garbage just to survive, he?s now atop the WBC super flyweight class.
Hurting Roman Gonzalez only meant opening the Pandora?s box for Rungvisai. Chocolatito waged war against him, which at some stages in the fight didn?t seem to cease. It was ferocious from then on, the punches just rained on him, and he?d fire back with some of his own. Gonzalez would not stop pounding him whenever he started, pulling off a string of combinations at a time. In fact, he set a junior bantamweight record by landing 372 power shots.
Chocolatito?s position even worsened after he suffered a gash after a clash of heads. He bled profusely, but fought it out consistently. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai?s knockdown advantage evened off at the sixth round when he was deducted a point for another headbutt. He found himself hurt a couple of times, and had difficulties warding off Gonzalez in spite of his punches seemingly more powerful.
Roman Gonzalez said the bout?s result shocked him and asks for an immediate rematch. ?I am happy to be back in my country. I was not happy with the ruling, I know it was a difficult fight but I never imagined that I would lose.?
And for most, he did not. He stepped in the ring as the best fighter in the world and showed everyone why, even as he walked away with his first loss... bare, nothing to hide, undefeated.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Mark F. Villanueva.
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