Roman Gonzalez wants to fight for the WBA World super flyweight title, announced the pound-for-pound king while accepting Nicaragua’s Athlete of the Year award on Saturday, January 30.
“I want my next title to be from the WBA,” he said. “I want to take on Kohei Kono at 115.”
Said WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, “The WBA is your home, and its doors are always open to you. You’ve earned that with your diligence and discipline.”
Twenty-eight-year-old “Chocolatito” has fought out of his native Nicaragua since 2005. Undefeated, 38 of his 44 wins have come by way of knockout. No stranger to the WBA, Gonzalez won the vacant WBA Fedecentro light flyweight title by knocking out Oscar Murillo in the first in October 2006; the vacant WBA Fedelatin minimumweight title by knocking out Jose Luis Varela in the first in May 2007; the WBA World minimumweight title by stopping Yutaka Niida by fourth-round TKO in September 2008, a title he successfully defended three times before vacating it in September 2010; the interim WBA World light flyweight title by knocking out Francisco Rosas in the second the following month; and the WBA World light flyweight title by beating Manuel Vargas via unanimous decision in March 2011, a title he successfully defended four times. Upgraded to Super World champ in December 2012, Gonzalez vacated the title in January 2014. He won the WBC World flyweight title by stopping Akira Yaegashi via ninth-round TKO that September. He most recently fought, in defense of his WBC, last October, stopping Brian Viloria by ninth-round TKO.
The Nicaraguan’s would-be opponent is a 35-year-old Japanese who’s fought since 2000 (31-8-1, 13 KOs). Kono first tried for the vacant WBA World super flyweight title in September 2008, losing to Nobuo Nashiro by split decision. Though he won the title in December 2012 by knocking out Tepparith Kokietgym in the fourth, he lost it to Liborio Solis by majority decision in May 2013. Never stopped, he won what was once again the vacant title by knocking out Denkaosan Kaovichit in the eighth in March 2014. He most recently fought last October, successfully defending his title against Koki Kameda, winning by unanimous decision.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
