BoxRec

Gonzalez is Yafai’s #3 contender



Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn sat down with iFL TV today for nearly two hours of interviewing, discussing a wide variety of plans for the many fighters in his stable. Michael Benson has a nice summary of the details, but one concrete piece of information stood out: Hearn is looking to match WBA super flyweight champion Kal Yafai against former pound-for-pound king Roman Gonzalez, ideally on the February 29th Fresno card headlined by Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas.

He discusses it around the 20:00 mark.

Yafai (26-0, 15 KO) mentioned wanting to face Gonzalez (48-2, 40 KO) way back in March of 2017, and “Chocolatito” claimed to have received an offer to face the Brit late last year before the Nicaraguan’s knockout of Pedro Guevara. Yafai has been linked to a unification bout with Juan Francisco Estrada for the past several months, but persistent hand issues led to multiple delays.

There are far less appealing ways Yafai could spend the wait than fighting Gonzalez. He needs a breakout win and Gonzalez needs to prove he’s still elite after that destructive knockout loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. Andrew Moloney is technically Yafai’s mandatory, but considering the former just got that status last month with his stoppage of Elton Dharry, I don’t think the WBA will terribly mind Yafai fighting in February.

“This is the fight I’m trying to make, now for February 29th in Dallas,” Eddie Hearn, Yafai’s promoter told IFL TV on Monday. “If he can beat Chocolatito, he goes into the Estrada fight in great shape in terms of his earning potential and star power. That Chocolatito fight is a star fight."

“It’s not done yet… there’s interest from Mr. Honda and Chocolatito to take that fight,” Hearn revealed. “There’s a very good chance that fight can land on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas [card].”

Even more ambitious is the plan moving forward should Yafai prevail.

“This is the fight that is giving him security financial, but also the upside of a win,” points out Hearn. “The Estrada fight, really tough fight and a chance to unify [had they fought in January]. If you win this fight, it takes an Estrada fight into a big main event fight in the United States.”

I hope Chocolatito KTFO's Yafai..

The most meaningless Brit champion inr= recent memory.

Remember when Chocalatito vs. Inoue was the FIGHT for the little guys..

I think it's fair to say, even without that fight, the little guys have made a name for themselves anyway.

Gonzalez had a fantastic career. Memorable fights as well, with Estrada, Sor Rungvisai, Cuadras, Rodriguez Jr & Yaegashi. The way he launched himself forward gave him the look of a tiny Duran as opposed to his tutor, Arguello.

I was really up for Estrada, another tiny great, vs Yafai & was pulling for Estrada before the cancellation.

I had completely forgotten about Kal Yafai’s existence until just now reading this. Says it all.

Would love to see this though. That would make it a brilliant card top to bottom.

Hopefully they can make it happen. I still think Gonzalez has enough left about him to beat Yafai...

Kal, are you biting more than the chunk you can handle?

Kal Yafai will defend his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez on Saturday February 29 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

Yafai (26-0 15 KOs) makes the sixth defense of his WBA strap and returns to the States having gone the distance with dangerous Dominican Republic challenger Norbelto Jimenez in his last defense in Providence, Rhode Island in June.

The Birmingham star and Britain’s longest reigning World champion has been gunning for a major fight and has certainly landed that in the shape of Chocolatito (48-2 40 KOs) the former four-weight World ruler and pound for pound king who returned to action in December with victory in Japan. The Nicaraguan is gunning for a return to his World champion status and both fighters are thrilled to be clashing on a huge night in the Lone Star state.

“I wanted the biggest possible fight available and after the Juan Francisco Estrada unification fell through, I had the opportunity to fight Chocolatito, the former pound for pound king!” said Yafai.

“Chocolatito is someone that I have idolized as I worked my way up to become World champion myself, so it doesn’t get much bigger than this and it will bring out the best in me. I can’t wait, it is a case of when idols become rivals and I am so honored to share the ring with him but also show the world that I am an elite World champion.”

“First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Eddie Hearn for giving me this opportunity to fight for the World championship,” said Chocolatito. “God has responded to my prayers once again. I want to thank God and Teiken foremost. Also, the Champion, Kal Yafai for giving me the opportunity to fight for the championship once again. I know this will be a very hard fight, but it will be worthy of all our efforts and determination.”

“This is a brilliant fight on an absolute monster of a show!” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Kal Yafai has been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time and now he gets it against a legend of the sport in Chocolatito. This card in Texas is going to be epic and you can expect Yafai v Chocolatito to be an all-out war!”

Yafai and Chocolatito is part of a massive night of action in Frisco, topped by the Welterweight showdown between Mikey Garcia and Jessie Vargas, with all-action Mexican Julio Cesar Martinez making the first defense of his WBC World Flyweight title against unbeaten Welsh challenger Jay Harris – and more stellar action to be added to the card.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑31 Dec 2019, 04:15 I hope Chocolatito KTFO's Yafai..

The most meaningless Brit champion inr= recent memory.

Remember when Chocalatito vs. Inoue was the FIGHT for the little guys..

I think it's fair to say, even without that fight, the little guys have made a name for themselves anyway.

I opened this thread thinking, “Kal Yafai.? Yes, I remember him ! is he still champ ? Is he still alive even ? He’s a great fighter, but over the winter break I’d completely forgotten he existed.

He’ll be a top answer on Pointless one day.

Hopefully Gonzalez still has enough about him after the Rungvisai defeats, we will see.

NoScoutingReports wrote: ↑17 Jan 2020, 08:10 Hopefully Gonzalez still has enough about him after the Rungvisai defeats, we will see.

Gonzalez could stop Yafai.

Yafai needs to prepare for his biggest fight. He arguably lost in Monaco couple years ago.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑17 Jan 2020, 08:26

NoScoutingReports wrote: ↑17 Jan 2020, 08:10 Hopefully Gonzalez still has enough about him after the Rungvisai defeats, we will see.

Gonzalez could stop Yafai.

Yafai needs to prepare for his biggest fight. He arguably lost in Monaco couple years ago.

No doubt he does, he was dire that night in Monaco yeah, remember watching that fight. Obviously hoping Chocolatito is finished/comfortably past his best while trying to get a big name on the resume, could backfire however.

Pretty intersting actually, because Roman being past his best is balanced out by Yafai not being that impressive in the first place. Interested to see how it plays out

i think Kal Yafai can win it, but he has to stay switched on every min, every rd if he does he will win, and it would be a huge win aswell , put him up there with champions , in away gonzalez will be coming at him so he will have no chocie to be switched on , tough fight iam going kal points

skanksta wrote: ↑16 Jan 2020, 19:24

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑31 Dec 2019, 04:15 I hope Chocolatito KTFO's Yafai..

The most meaningless Brit champion inr= recent memory.

Remember when Chocalatito vs. Inoue was the FIGHT for the little guys..

I think it's fair to say, even without that fight, the little guys have made a name for themselves anyway.

I opened this thread thinking, “Kal Yafai.? Yes, I remember him ! is he still champ ? Is he still alive even ? He’s a great fighter, but over the winter break I’d completely forgotten he existed.

He’ll be a top answer on Pointless one day.

I said pretty much exactly the same thing when this thread started haha

Kal Yafai: Chocolatito is Someone I Idolized, He's a Massive Name

“It’s great news, I’m excited,” Yafai said. “It’s been a long time coming.

“It has been been frustrating at times, because there has been talk of big fights but for one reason or another they haven’t come off. Finally this one has come along and it is a massive fight.”

“I’ve been off the radar, while I have been fighting abroad,” Yafai said. “I’ve been a bit of a road warrior, fighting in Fresno, Monte Carlo and Providence, so I have done a lot of miles, but I have earned well while doing it.

“I’ve been calling for a big fight. I agreed to the Estrada fight and everything was done. It was agreed for December, then he had a hand injury and it was pushed back to January in Miami, then he had another hand injury.

“When that happened I was wondering why it wasn’t happening for me. Luckily enough, this fight came off.”

“He is someone that I idolized coming through,” Yafai said. “Estrada is a very tough fight, but Chocolatito is a massive name, the former pound-for-pound king.

“I’m the naturally bigger man. That could be to my advantage, but I am not just going into the fight thinking I am going to use my size advantage, I want to be the better man all round.”

“A lot of the guys in the smaller divisions don’t get the recognition, but I do know I am one of the best fighters in the country,” he said.

“I know my abilities are up with the best, but the big thing for me has been to get into a big fight like this one.

“I know this is my time. I am in the prime of my career. I am very fresh, I haven’t been in mad wars. These things all play a part.”

Yafai looked poor that night in Monaco he got a gift decision, he clearly lost that fight against someone that was brought in to loose at what was essentially an exhibition bout, surely an outsized and OAP chocalitito should have far too much left for Yafai, he must have one of the worst world title reign of a British fighter in the last 20 plus years??

Omerta wrote: ↑02 Feb 2020, 16:32 Yafai looked poor that night in Monaco he got a gift decision, he clearly lost that fight against someone that was brought in to loose at what was essentially an exhibition bout, surely an outsized and OAP chocalitito should have far too much left for Yafai, he must have one of the worst world title reign of a British fighter in the last 20 plus years??

And he’s the longest reigning as wel in Britain! Haha

A number of posters have picked Yafai to win via decision on the PTBF.

Is that cuz Gonzalez has been out a while? Or never truly adjusted to Super Fly?

But then again, Yafai’s reign has been really poor. He’s had at least 1 gift decision.

Interesting match up, Yafai finally going in with a stellar name, although its hard to say if Gonzalez has anything left after the Rungvisai rematch, he was destroyed that night, I thought he won the first fight but it was clear even before that he was never a true Super Flyweight, he's had a couple of low key wins but has been inactive for long spells as well, maybe his careers caught up with him, its hard to say, I guess we'll find out


Yafai looks to be regressing fighting all these B level guys, he's still winning fairly comfortably but he's looking a bit sluggish and ordinary, the last 2 wins over Gonzalez and Jimenez were pretty sub standard, I liked Yafai so I'm hoping Gonzalez brings the best out of him, its a bit of a toss up this but I'm thinking Gonzalez still has enough left in the tank to deal with Yafai, both quality boxers in full flow but Gonzalez is tried and tested at the top level and unless he's totally shot and Yafai raises his game to the Concepcion levels then I'm going for a Gonzalez win, I'm backing the Brit though, looking forward to this, hopefully some serious skills on show

Good card. Looking forward to it.