Roman Gonzalez Victory Sets Junior Bantamweight Division on Fire
The sport of boxing has always excited fans. Whether it is a surprise upset or a mega-fight that gets the blood going, one thing is for sure. The sport is full of exciting stories waiting to be told.
WBA Junior Bantamweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez’s (49-2, 41ko) impressively returned to the top of the division after defeating former champion Khalid “Kal” Yafai (26-1, 15ko). It should serve as a reminder that one loss to another top-level fighter doesn’t mean it’s over. Furthermore, when looking at the division, it is loaded like a Chicago Giordano’s stuffed pizza.
With potential match-ups ranging from unifications with other champions to the contenders, there is no denying this is arguably the best division in boxing.
THE DIVISION LINE-UP
The junior bantamweight division is ready to explode and it will start with a Japanese mega-fight that was ordered by the WBO. It will put WBO champion Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14ko) against former three-divisional champion Kosei Tanaka (15-0, 9ko).
It only gets better from there. British Promoter Eddie Hearn has expressed a desire to make a unification bout with the newly crowned WBA Nicaraguan champion and his rival WBC champion “El Gallo” Juan Francisco Estrada (40-3, 27ko). This would be a rematch from when both combatants battled it out for the WBA Light Flyweight title back in November 2012.
Then there is IBF champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (32-1, 22ko). He has been on a path of destruction since winning the title back in 2016, making eight successful defenses.
The division is home to elite level champions. However, what makes this division so mouth-watering to watch is having the best challengers of arguably any other division in boxing.
It is stacked with names like former world champions Carlos Cuadras, Donnie Nietes, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and Charlie Edwards. Plus Khalid Yafai could still be in the conversation. Then there are the contenders Andrew Moloney, Israel Gonzalez, McWilliams Arroyo, Jeyvier Cintron, and Koki Eto. Moreover, it will only get even better when the guys from the flyweight division move up.
The junior bantamweight division is worthy of the boxing community’s attention in the 2020 season.
By: Garrisson Bland
