Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Joshua Franco | DAZN - OFF

[Ruthless-RKO]

Juan Francisco Estrada-Joshua Franco: WBA Formally Orders Title Consolidation Clash

Joshua Franco is now one win away from taking up his younger brother on a playful dare to unify titles.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has formally ordered a junior bantamweight title consolidation clash between Franco as the secondary titlist and lineal/WBA “Super” champion Juan Francisco Estrada. San Antonio’s Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs) was already guaranteed a shot at the primary WBA title, with that opportunity now to come on the heels of younger brother Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (15-0, 10KOs) having claimed the WBC junior bantamweight title.

“The Championships Committee of the World Boxing Association (WBA) ordered the mandatory fight between the Super Flyweight Super Champion, Juan Francisco Estrada and the champion of the category, Joshua Franco,” Carlos Chavez, chairman of the WBA Championship Committee confirmed Wednesday. “[T]he teams of both fighters… will have 30 days to negotiate the fight from February 9 to March 11, 2022.”

A purse bid hearing will be scheduled to determine promotional rights if the two camps cannot come to terms. Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) is co-promoted by Zanfer Boxing and Matchroom Boxing, while Franco is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and managed by Rick Mirigian through MTK Global.

Neither fighter can accept another fight once the mandatory title fight is ordered, which kills any plans for Estrada to wait out the winner of the March 5 clash between Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) and Julio Cesar ‘El Rey’ Martinez (18-1, 14KOs; 2NC). Estrada was originally due to face Gonzalez in a rubber match on the date live on DAZN from Pechanga Arena in San Diego, only to test positive for Covid in having to withdraw.

The fallout came more than three months after Gonzalez was forced to postpone their previously scheduled October 16 clash after testing positive for Covid last September. Both developments came as Franco was already assured a shot at the WBA “Super” junior bantamweight title following his repeat win over Andrew Moloney last August 14. The order from the WBA came at the start of its forced title reduction campaign, with Franco set to face the winner of Estrada-Gonzalez III at the time.

Franco now heads straight to the main title, as the mandatory has been declared overdue by the sanctioning body.

Mexico’s Estrada claimed the “Super” title while also defending his WBC title in a twelve-round, split decision win over Gonzalez last March 13 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The winner was due to face Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in a WBC mandatory title defense, though Estrada since cashed in the belt for the sanctioning body’s “Franchise” title.

Sor Rungvisai was due to face Mexico City’s Carlos Cuadras on February 5, only to fall ill (not Covid-related) and withdraw. He was replaced by San Antonio’s Rodriguez, who moved up in weight on just six days’ notice to drop and outpoint Cuadras over twelve rounds to win the vacant WBC title in Phoenix, Arizona.

Rodriguez quipped after the fight that he and his brother can now unify since they both hold titles at the same weight. The sport’s elitists were slow on the joke and quick to point out that Franco holds a secondary version of the title, therefore ineligible to enter any unification bout. A win over Estrada would theoretically correct that problem, although it’s highly unlikely that the siblings would face one another.

Franco is unbeaten in his last eight starts, which has included two separate trilogies and three bouts that failed to produce a winner. A three-fight series with Oscar Negrete saw Franco go 1-0-2 over a ten month stretch before going on to face and knock out Jose Burgos in a January 2020 clash at Alamodome in his San Antonio hometown.

The fight was followed by Franco’s first title bid, outpointing Moloney in June 2020 to win the WBA “World” junior bantamweight title. Their November 2020 rematch saw Moloney jump out to an early lead through two rounds, only for Franco to bel left unable to continue after a swollen shut eye from what was ruled an accidental headbutt. Their trilogy clash came last August, with Franco winning 116-112 on all three scorecards to defend the title.

Estrada became a two-division titlist following a twelve-round points win over Sor Rungvisai to claim the WBC strap in their April 2019 rematch. He has since made three defenses, including the disputed split-decision win over Gonzalez in their rematch to avenge a loss from more than eight years prior.

[JxhDel.]

I would like to see another Bam vs. Cuadras situation but Gallo Estrada is in another shape and on a better level in recent times.

[margaret thatcher]

i think bam is better than josh too

[Ruthless-RKO]

Estrada-Franco: WBA Sets April 18 Purse Bid For Title Consolidation Clash

Juan Francisco Estrada and Joshua Franco remain no closer to a head-on collision than was the case when they were ordered to fight two months ago.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has stepped into help move things along, as the sanctioning body has formally called a purse bid hearing for their junior bantamweight title fight.

“Please be kindly advised that the Championships Committee of the World Boxing Association is opening to purse bid the [Estrada-Franco] fight,” the sanctioning body informed all WBA-registered promoters in an official letter, a copy of which was obtained by BS.com. “The bidding will take place Monday, April 18, 2022, via Zoom platform at 10:00 a.m. [EST].”

The minimum accepted bid is $120,000, with all purse bid participants required to submit a non-refundable $5,000 fee. The winning amount will be split 75/25 in favor of Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) as the WBA ‘Super’ champion.

Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs) was guaranteed a shot at the ‘Super’ title (along with Estrada’s lineal championship) dating back to his repeat win over Andrew Moloney last August 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The feat marked the second defense of the secondary WBA ‘World’ junior bantamweight title he claimed in a twelve-round win over Moloney in June 2020, with a bizarre No-Decision in November 2020 wedged in the middle of their trilogy.

Immediately after their third fight, the WBA announced that Franco was first in line to challenge a then-scheduled rubber match between Mexico’s Estrada and Nicaragua’s legendary former four-division champ Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (51-3, 41KOs). The ruling camo as the WBA was in the process of an aggressive—though forced—campaign to reduce its number of recognized titlists.

Estrada-Gonzalez III was initially due to take place last October 16, only for Gonzalez to test positive for Covid. Estrada tested positive for the infectious disease this past January, forcing him to withdraw from their rescheduled March 5 clash in San Diego. Gonzalez went on to face WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14KOs; 2NC), whom he defeated via unanimous decision in a non-title junior bantamweight bout.

The delay was unfortunate enough for Estrada to both miss out on a trilogy clash with Gonzalez and leave himself subjected to a mandatory title defense. The WBA ordered the fight on February 9, with the March 11 deadline coming and going without a deal in place. Extra time was granted for the two sides— Estrada is co-promoted by Zanfer Boxing and Matchroom Boxing, while Franco is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and managed by Rick Mirigian through MTK Global—to come to terms, which seemed reasonable considering they are the two primary content providers to sports streaming service DAZN.

Nearly a month later, an agreement has yet to be reached despite speculation of such a fight taking place in June or July in Franco’s hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has openly discussed the possibility of staging a doubleheader with Estrada-Franco and newly crowned WBC junior bantamweight titlist Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (15-0, 10KOs), Franco’s younger brother who is due to face former two-time champ Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43KOs) in a mandatory title defense.

That arrangement will have to either come through a WBA purse bid or within the two-week period ahead of that session.

Estrada inherited Franco as a mandatory challenger following his disputed, split decision win over Gonzalez last March 13 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The win—however widely criticized—avenged a loss to Gonzalez in a November 2012 junior flyweight title fight. Estrada went on to enjoy a unified title reign at flyweight and has served as lineal junior bantamweight champ since outpointing Sor Rungvisai in their April 2019 rematch, 14 months after dropping a tightly contested decision to the Thai southpaw.

Three successful defenses have since followed for Estrada, including the disputed win over Gonzalez in his most recent fight.

Franco is unbeaten in his last eight starts, which has included two separate trilogies and three bouts that failed to produce a winner. A three-fight series with Oscar Negrete saw Franco go 1-0-2 over a ten month stretch before going on to face and knock out Jose Burgos in a January 2020 clash at Alamodome in his San Antonio hometown, where he will appear this weekend as part of the DAZN broadcast team.

With any luck, the local hero will return to the venue for a dream fight with Estrada—with or without the assistance of the currently scheduled purse bid hearing.

[Counter-puncher]

i think bam is better than josh too

yeah, Bam - Estrada would be a lovely tasty little matchup.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Rgoodwin]

Wasn't Hearn saying he wanted to make Bam vs Rungvisai for the same card?

[margaret thatcher]

that would be a nice card i f so

[Rgoodwin]

that would be a nice card i f so

Rumor is they're close to finalizing that fight. I'd guess it'd be on the same card.

[margaret thatcher]

that's sweet. i guess with these guys being lighter it's easier to afford making good fights. been so many good matchups around super flyweight in the last few years

[Ruthless-RKO]

that's sweet. i guess with these guys being lighter it's easier to afford making good fights. been so many good matchups around super flyweight in the last few years

Just like it's easier for women to unify..

Same thing down at the lower weights..

They're not divas.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Golden Boy submitted $120,000 as the lone bidder

[Ruthless-RKO]

Just thinking about this, Wonder why Matchroom didn't bid.

[Ruthless-RKO]

split 75/25 between Estrada and Franco, meaning $90K for the former and $30K for the latter.

[Ruthless-RKO]

GBP listed June 11th in L.A. and July 16th in California or Nevada as their two target dates.

[margaret thatcher]

that's a weak ass bid isnt it, 30k for frank, how much of that would he actually keep

[Ruthless-RKO]

that's a weak ass bid isnt it, 30k for frank, how much of that would he actually keep

Estrada is used to $300k+

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC Prez Confirms Estrada Will Lose "Franchise" Designation If Franco WBA Title Fight Moves Forward

Juan Francisco Estrada is in the unique position of having to relinquish a title he doesn’t physically own.

Two options remain at large for the lineal junior bantamweight king, who still has ties to the WBA (“Super” champion) and the WBC (“Franchise” designation). Mexico’s Estrada was previously ordered to next face secondary WBA titlist Joshua Franco in a title consolidation clash that remains on hold and in search of a summertime fight date.

The WBC claims that Estrada previously committed to a rubber match with Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. The bout was twice postponed but still owed as it relates to the WBC granting “Franchise” title status to Estrada in lieu of a previously owed mandatory title defense. That designation will be removed once he enters the ring to face Franco.

“If he decides to take that fight, then he’s off the WBC route,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed in a recent interview with veteran boxing insider Rob ‘Way Down In The Hole’ Tebbutt. “He’s free to go to the Franco WBA [route] and fight for the $120,000 purse bid that took place.

“If he decides to do that instead of honoring the process to lead to Chocolatito for the third time, that is his decision.”

The WBC created the “Franchise” title—in name only—in 2019, with its original intention to allow its most distinguished champions to pursue the biggest fights free from mandatory title defense restrictions. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was the first recipient at middleweight, followed by Vasiliy Lomachenko at lightweight.

Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) claimed the WBC and lineal junior bantamweight championship in an April 2019 win over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43KOs), avenging a narrow defeat in February 2018. Just three defenses have followed in a reign crippled by injuries, illness and the pandemic.

Chief among them was a disputed split decision win over Gonzalez (51-3, 41KOs) in their epic rematch last March 13 in Dallas, Texas. Estrada defended the WBC title while claiming the WBA “Super” belt from Gonzalez, gaining revenge for a November 2012 loss when Gonzalez was the reigning junior flyweight champion.

Following the repeat win over Gonzalez, Estrada was on the hook for a mandatory title defense versus Sor Rungvisai. Through then co-promoter Matchroom Boxing, Estrada instead petitioned the WBC for “Franchise” title status which would allow for a more in-demand rubber match with Gonzalez than with the Thai southpaw. The WBC agreed, declaring its junior bantamweight title vacant and since claimed by Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (15-0, 10KOs) in a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over former champ Carlos Cuadras this past February 5 in Phoenix.

Rodriguez took the fight on six days’ notice, replacing an ill Sor Rungvisai who has since recovered and now challenges for the WBC belt this Saturday in Rodriguez’s hometown of San Antonio, Texas.

Estrada and Gonzalez were due to meet last October 16, only for Gonzalez to test positive for Covid. The bout was rescheduled for March 5 in San Diego, only for Estrada to show full blown Covid symptoms in shutting down training camp in mid-January. Gonzalez went on to face WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14KOs), who moved up to junior bantamweight for the non-title fight but was outclassed by the Nicaraguan legend.

The idea after that was for Gonzalez to revisit the trilogy clash with Estrada, only for the WBA to instead order the overdue title consolidation clash. The WBA initially agreed last summer to allow Estrada-Gonzalez III to move forward, and for the winner to next face Franco. Eight months and two fight delays later, the WBA decided the statute of limitations expired and proceeded with its title fight which still awaits a date.

Naturally, the same viewpoint is not shared by the WBC who explains the scenario where such a distinction can be derecognized.

“It was designed for Estrada to be able to give the third fight with Chocolatito, which everyone wanted when the bell rang to end that fight,” Sulaiman explains of honoring Estrada’s prior request. “The WBC had that process in place for a year. All of a sudden, the WBA decides out of the blue (to order Estrada-Franco).

“If Estrada decides to go that way, perfect. The Franchise [title] is off. He made his decision. We did it for the good of the third fight with him and Chocolatito. It’s a very simple solution and decision.”

Golden Boy Promotions holds the rights to Estrada-Franco, having won a purse bid on April 19 with the WBA-imposed minimum bid of $120,000. Estrada is expected to make far more, though the fight was also expected to take place either June 11 or July 16. Neither side provided a firm update to BS.com as this goes to publish, other than a general time frame of later this summer.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Juan Francisco Estrada Vacating WBA 115-Lb Title, Won’t Fight Joshua Franco

Juan Francisco Estrada has decided to vacate his WBA ‘Super World’ super flyweight title rather than face WBA ‘regular’ champion Joshua Franco in their ordered fight with the organization.

Juan Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs) will instead face Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez in a lucrative trilogy match, which will likely be a lot more than if ‘El Gallo’ were to meet Franco (18-1-2, 8 KOs) next.

Estrada, 32, will hold onto his WBC Franciso 115-lb belt, and face Chocolatito. The Franchise title allows Estrada to fight essentially anyone he wants without the headaches involved with defending against less popular fighters like Joshua Franco.

“I don’t think they’ll fight with Franco,” said Juan Estrada’s coach Alfredo Caballero to Izquierdazo. “We already left the WBA belt; we are left with the WBC Franchise.”

“Yes, practically (they give up the WBA title ), I don’t know if the company or someone has announced it,” said Caballero. “But we are not going to fight with Franco.”

It’s wise for Juan Estrada to give up his WBA 115-lb title because the fans don’t want to see him fighting Joshua Franco.

They want the fight between Estrada and Chocolatito again, and they should have already fought their trilogy match last year rather than waiting until now to meet again.

Once Juan Estrada vacates the WBA belt, Franco, 26, will move in to scoop it up. Franco might be able to hold onto the WBA ‘Super World’ title for a while, as long as he doesn’t fight someone good like Chocolatito.

That fight is unlikely to happen because Franco isn’t as famous as his younger brother Bam Rodriguez, and there’s not much for Chocolatito to gain in fighting him.

The 115-lb division only has three fighters that bring in the fans: Bam Rodriguez, Chocolatito, and Estrada.

[giacomino]

Makes sense. Paper belts are always lying around to pick up but Estrada will make far more trying to beat Chocolatito for the first time

[Ruthless-RKO]

Juan Francisco Estrada Relinquishes WBA 'Super' Title; Joshua Franco Elevated To Full Champ

Joshua Franco has waited a year for a title consolidation clash with Juan Francisco Estrada.

A fight never came of the ordeal, though his patience is at least rewarded with his first full major title.

Boxing Scene has learned that Mexico’s Estrada has been relieved of his WBA ‘Super’ junior bantamweight title reign. The development comes months after the lineal champion was ordered to face San Antonio’s Franco, in line with a WBA ruling made a year ago almost to the day.

Franco receives an upgrade from his secondary WBA title, as he is now the sanctioning body’s sole titleholder at junior bantamweight. The significance of the move means that he is now free to unify against the division’s other title claimants, an opportunity not previously afforded since the WBC, IBF and WBO do not recognize WBA secondary titles in terms of unification bouts.

Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) claimed the WBA ‘Super’ title following a highly questionable 12-round, split decision win over Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez in their Fight of the Year-level slugfest last March 13. The fight came more than eight years after their equally epic November 2012 clash which saw Gonzalez (51-3, 41KOs) earn a twelve-round, unanimous decision to defend his junior flyweight title.

Efforts to stage the rubber match have proven problematic, and with Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs) left to suffer through multiple delays. The WBA approved a third Estrada-Gonzalez fight, on the condition that the winner next face Franco per a ruling last August 15. Estrada-Gonzalez 3 was due to take place last October 16, only for Gonzalez to withdraw after testing positive for Covid.

The rescheduled date of March 5 also took a hit when Estrada tested positive for Covid in mid-January, shutting down training camp in the process. Gonzalez went on to face and beat WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar ‘El Rey’ Martinez (18-2, 14KOs), who moved up in weight for their non-title affair in San Diego.

Boxing Scene has learned that efforts are being made for Estrada-Gonzalez 3 to take place in December. Estrada is eyeing a return later this summer, likely to take place September 3 in his hometown of Hermosillo, Mexico.

Franco now joins younger brother Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (15-0, 11KOs) on the full title stage. ‘Bam’ won the WBC junior bantamweight title earlier this year in a 12-round win over Carlos Cuadras, since defending in an eighth-round knockout of former lineal champ Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on June 25 in the family’s San Antonio hometown.

The IBF title is currently held by Fernando ‘Puma’ Martinez, who dethroned long-reigning beltholder Jerwin Ancajas earlier this year. The two are due to run it back on an October 8 Showtime card from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Kazuto Ioka (29-2, 15KOs) has held the WBO junior bantamweight title since June 2019, when he became Japan’s first-ever male boxer to win titles in four weight divisions. The 33-year-old from Osaka—who now lives and trains in Tokyo—is coming off a dominant twelve-round win over Donnie Nietes in July, avenging a defeat from New Year’s Eve 2018.

Next steps for Ioka have not been made known. A title unification bout with Franco would be an attractive proposition, whether on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, or later this fall in the U.S.

Whatever the case, Franco remains eager to get back in the ring—especially with his newfound major title status.

The 26-year-old has not fought since a repeat win over Andrew Moloney in their trilogy clash last August 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Franco claimed the secondary WBA title in a 12-round win over then-unbeaten Moloney in June 2020, with the two fighting to a bizarre no-contest in their November 2020 rematch. Franco remained a step ahead in their third fight last summer, though yet to return to the ring while Moloney has since fought and won three times.

[Ruthless-RKO]

He stole Choco's belt and then vacates it.

Has Estrada even fought since??