Downfall of Chocolatito

[Ruthless-RKO]

Some say it was moving up to 115, some say he was fading before he moved up..

There are a lot of theories..

He's a brief timeline..

February 2016: He was taken the distance by McWilliams Arroyo (16-2, 14 KOs). First time in in 10 fights, he was taken the distance. Although he won by clear wide margins. He should have been able to stop Arroyo.

July 2016: Moved up to super flyweight

September 2016: A hard fought unanimous decision victory to snatch the WBC title of Carlos Cuadras (35-0-1, 27 KOs). Some said he should have moved back down after this fight, as he had already become the first in his nation to become a four weight world champion.

November 2016: Long time trainer Arnulfo Obando died

December 2016: At the WBC convention, Mauricio Sulaiman announced that a rematch would take place between Gonzalez and Cuadras for the WBC title in March 2017. The winner of the rematch will need to fight WBC #2 mandatory and WBC silver champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (41-4-1, 38 KOs).

Gonzalez stated he hadn't agreed to a rematch or signed any contracts for a rematch to take place as he was not obliged to do so.

January 2017: Gonzalez's manager Carlos Blandon said that an opponent would be announced soon. A day later, due to Gonzalez not being obliged to give Cuadras a rematch, Sulaimán stated that Sor Rungvisai will get a chance to fight Gonzáalez.

January 2017: Gonzalez started the training camp for his upcoming fight and announced that his father, Luis Gonzalez would be his head trainer

March 2017: Gonzalez lost via decision is a brutal fight, which saw many accidental headbutts and a bloodied face. Judges Waleska Roldan scored the fight 113-113 even, whilst Glenn Feldman and Julie Lederman both scored it 114-112 in favor of Sor Rungvisai. Some had Gonzalez winning, with ESPN having him ahead 117-109.

Again, many felt as though his power was just not enough at 115, and he should move back down to 112.

March 2017: Gonzalez sought after a rematch.

September 2017: Gonzalez was knocked out cold in four rounds.

[Mexi-Box]

After the Cuadras fight, for sure he should've moved back down, especially after his loss to Sor Rungvisai.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I think his win over Cuadras was deserved. It was a hard fought win, that could have gone either way..

He did what his long time mentor couldn't do and that was to become a 4-weight world champion. After that I believe he should have moved back down. It was a real tough fight, and many thought he lost.

On top of that, his long time trainer was declared brain dead 2 months later and died, which can't be easy. WBC forcing him to take a rematch with Cuadras. I mean he just lost his trainer, give him some time to breath.

I personally thought he won the 1st Rungvisai fight, but even after losing, he was so convinced that he won, he wanted to avenge his only defeat.

I don't believe he should retire, he's just hit 30. Losing an extra 3 pounds isn't as easy as it sounds, so we'll have to see what he does next.

[Humean]

Looks like a lack of discipline to me due to a loss of motivation (some tough gruelling fights have probably played a part in that). He puts on too much weight between fights and I think he could make 112 relatively comfortably if he still had the motivation of a few years back as that is the division he belongs in. He was not sharp at all last night, he should probably retire if the fire has gone out of him, especially with his style. He's had a great career, one of the very best for the flyweights.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Looks like a lack of discipline to me due to a loss of motivation (some tough gruelling fights have probably played a part in that). He puts on too much weight between fights and I think he could make 112 relatively comfortably if he still had the motivation of a few years back as that is the division he belongs in. He was not sharp at all last night, he should probably retire if the fire has gone out of him, especially with his style. He's had a great career, one of the very best for the flyweights.

Yeh, he did become a bit of a diva, after the Cuadras fight, he started demanding a $1 million purse for a rematch, as if he was looking for a nice pay day. Regardless, his last four fights have seen him earn career high paychecks.

[Cutman Scabbers]

too small for 115

[victor-romeo]

too small for 115

your 100% correct. It was obvious he was too small ..now he has some major wear and tear with that concussion he just got ..

[Luckybattles]

I didn't see the fight but I saw a two minute clip on youtube of the knockout. When I clicked on it, I still didn't know who was going to be the person on the receiving end of the KO. However, immediately I saw this little guy willingly engaging a much bigger guy in a power punching shoot out. At that point, it was clear that Gonzalez was going to get taken out. Like you said, he is just too small and bigger fighters will just walk him down.

[TheBeast]

He questionably won his last fight... loss the rematch by brutal KO vs a bigger opponent who has his number... I still want to see him against the other top players if he still wants to box. I think people could be surprise because even though he keeps stepping up in weight and it evidently caught up, i think it's still a question of style. Srisaket is fearless and gave him no respect... that's why he had success

[lazboy]

All those things mentioned I'm sure had some influence. But end of the day he decided to bang it out with the bigger man, who pretty much walked through his shots the previous fight and finished the stronger. A bigger tough as nails man from Thailand which is a dirt poor fighting state nation. I'm a big Roman fan, enjoyed his fights but does he know how to box and move? Bit of a game plan error if he does.

Er I also don't meant to take it away from Srisaket who was so well prepared, who let his hands fly at the right time, who was actually patient and held ground, it was not a crude swarming. He's a competent tough customer. I'd like to see him face someone like Estrada, like to see how he's go against someone trying to box him.

[Ezzard]

It's hard for aggressive fighters...if you keep moving up the other guys find it easier to shrug off your punches...and the ones you take hurt more... Defensive fighters don't face the same disadvantage.

He could probably have won a few more fights if he had stayed at the lower weight.

[lefty]

Good fighter but I don't know how he was p4p no1 with some people.

[boxing_rocks]

Good fighter but I don't know how he was p4p no1 with some people.

He defeated all top fighters in this previous weight classes. How could he not be considered a top p4p fighter? He just moved too high up which could work if he was a defensive fighter, but didn't work with his style.

[lefty]

Good fighter but I don't know how he was p4p no1 with some people.

He defeated all top fighters in this previous weight classes. How could he not be considered a top p4p fighter? He just moved too high up which could work if he was a defensive fighter, but didn't work with his style.

Yeah but Floyd jumped up from like 130 to 154 or Pacquaio. I think Ward or Crawford would have had a better argument for p4p no1. It's all subjective though admittedly.

[javier_83]

yeah it came to the moment that his punching power was not enough for the new weight class..

[Oiky]

Moving up didn't sit well with him at all

[Mexi-Box]

Good fighter but I don't know how he was p4p no1 with some people.

He defeated all top fighters in this previous weight classes. How could he not be considered a top p4p fighter? He just moved too high up which could work if he was a defensive fighter, but didn't work with his style.

Yeah but Floyd jumped up from like 130 to 154 or Pacquaio. I think Ward or Crawford would have had a better argument for p4p no1. It's all subjective though admittedly.

Mayweather had a better style for moving up. Gonzalez was an offensive machine. Gonzalez fought everyone in every division he's been in. Mayweather didn't fight the people he should've fought at the time he should've fought them.

Only one you could really say that Gonzalez needed to fight was the Estrada rematch at FlyW.

[gilgamesh]

Moving up didn't sit well with him at all

It did the first 2 times.

[crusader]

He was obviously a P4P fighter, but, whether he was #1 or not, he doesn't have a style that lends itself well to fighting bigger opponents. He still managed a good win over Cuadras (who beat Srisaket) and I thought he won the first Srisaket fight, but IMO it was clear even before the KO that weight was playing a bigger role than it had in his previous bouts. Keep in mind that he'd been in nearly 50 fights and won his first title nearly 10 years ago, which is a lot of time for the super little guys.

Incidentally, I think Roman's past-victim JF Estrada would beat Srisaket.

[gilgamesh]

He was obviously a P4P fighter, but, whether he was #1 or not, he doesn't have a style that lends itself well to fighting bigger opponents. He still managed a good win over Cuadras (who beat Srisaket) and I thought he won the first Srisaket fight, but IMO it was clear even before the KO that weight was playing a bigger role than it had in his previous bouts. Keep in mind that he'd been in nearly 50 fights and won his first title nearly 10 years ago, which is a lot of the little guys.

Incidentally, I think Roman's past-victim JF Estrada would beat Srisaket.

I think so too. Hell for that matter I think Cuadras would beat him again. I also have very little doubt Inoue would stop him.

Inoue vs Srisaket is the one I wanna see. Give Estrada the winner.

[Counter-puncher]

He was obviously a P4P fighter, but, whether he was #1 or not, he doesn't have a style that lends itself well to fighting bigger opponents. He still managed a good win over Cuadras (who beat Srisaket) and I thought he won the first Srisaket fight, but IMO it was clear even before the KO that weight was playing a bigger role than it had in his previous bouts. Keep in mind that he'd been in nearly 50 fights and won his first title nearly 10 years ago, which is a lot of time for the super little guys.

Incidentally, I think Roman's past-victim JF Estrada would beat Srisaket.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

--- Got promoted to Ring #1 P4P as part of the collective herding instincts of the modern bovine boxing press.

Great, humble guy probably fun to talk to, but fairly one dimensional as a fighter that anyone could see save an idiot. He won on relentless pressure and attrition, until his final move up that was a bridge too far. How many of you genii had him moving all the way up to lightweight? At least he exposed the boxing press for the moo-cows they've become. Hope he finds a soft place to land and the Thai to get at least one good fight before being sacrificed to Inoue.

[gilgamesh]

His downfall in his recent bouts is the fact that he's just not physically strong enough to hold off these fighters at 115. If he gets run through like that upon moving back to 112 I'd say he needs to just hang 'em up because he's finished.

[Counter-puncher]

How many of you genii had him moving all the way up to lightweight? .

None, you utter, arse-aching windbag.