January 13, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
Nicaraguan hard-punching sensation, WBA top 105-pound contender Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (16-0, 16 KOs), only 20, will take on formerly world-rated Japanese veteran Hiroshi Matsumoto (17-7, 8 KOs) over ten rounds beneath the WBA super-flyweight title bout between Alexander Munoz and Katsushige Kawashima in Yokohama tomorrow (Monday).
The 5’4” Nicaraguan youngster has already become a household name in the Latin-American boxing fraternity due to a string of his eye-catching knockouts. Chocolatito already attracted Japanese fight fans by polishing off world-rated Filipino Eriberto Gejon with a single liver shot that sank the taller and more experienced opponent prone in agony last November. Gonzalez collected another latest victim by disposing of Javier Tello in the second session in Nicaragua.
Now that his stablemate Jose Alfaro seized the WBA regular lightweight belt by defeating Prawet Singwancha in Germany last December, Gonzalez may be motivated to win the world throne in the near future under the promotional agreement with Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions, which now holds WBA super-feather champ Edwin Valero and WBC feather ruler Jorge Linares.
Matsumoto is a 34-year-old game and durable southpaw, though having passed his peak. We are looking forward to watching Chocolatito’s seventeenth KO victory in a row.
(1-13-08)