The big comeback is on for 37-year-old master Gonzalez, who boxes Rober Barrera in Managua on July 12. After winning world titles at minimumweight, light-flyweight, flyweight and super-flyweight, the ageless stylist has his sights set on conquering a fifth weight class. Few would bet against him, writes Phil Rogers.
Every nation needs its heroes. Some provide inspiration and hope through their remarkable feats; others symbolise a set of collective ideals to aspire towards. For the people of Nicaragua, a country diminutive in stature, famed for its stunning artistry and herculean in its resilience, their national treasure could not be more fitting.
Roman Gonzalez has spent the last 19 years dazzling boxing fans across the planet as he’s continued to conquer multiple weight classes. Few fighters can claim to bring a sense of balletic beauty to the violence they dispense quite like ‘Chocolatito’, but in order to expose his supreme talent to the world, this modern great has had to take to the road for opportunity and recognition.
Finally, after nine years away, the prodigal son returns on July 12 to face Rober ‘El Huracan’ Barrera. For Gonzalez, it’s not only a huge homecoming but an opportunity to work towards his dream of becoming six-time, five-weight, world champion.
“I’m feeling motivated and happy to finally return home,” he tells Boxing News. “This is a historic fight after so much time without me fighting in my own country. It is hard because planning a boxing event in Nicaragua is something really complicated, because it costs a lot of money. I hope to give the people of Nicaragua an excellent fight. I’m so happy because all the families in Nicaragua can see me fight again. Most of the people in Nicaragua don’t have the opportunity to see me live.”
Eighteen months have passed since Gonzalez lost a narrow points decision to Juan Francisco Estrada in December 2022. It was the fourth defeat of the Nicaraguan’s storied career and, just as it was with all the others, the loss prompted many to call for his retirement from the sport.
Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez ahead of their fight on December 3, 2022 (Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Such an ending, however, is rarely accepted by fighters, not least those who’ve achieved the lofty status of an ‘all-time great.’ Having taken the time to recover and regroup, Gonzalez has taken aim at the belt-holders up at bantamweight (Junto Nakatani, Yoshiki Takei, Takuma Inoue and Ryosuke Nishida) and believes he can make one final leap to become a world champion once again.
“I’m anxious to get back in the ring. This will be a big comeback in my career. I wish to get a new title in a different weight class, at 118lbs. I want to finish my career with a very nice trajectory. In my last fights I’m going to give the best that I can give. When the bell rings I’m just gonna go out there and do my job.”
Returning home means revisiting the memories of where it all began for Gonzalez. Growing up in the impoverished Barrio La Esperanza suburb of Managua, the country’s capital, the young Chocolatito’ would help his father make ends meet by selling insecticides door-to-door.
A fighting man himself, Gonzalez’s father also introduced him to the noble art and the young amateur soon found success, with an albeit unverified 88-0 amateur record. Yet, with the family struggling to put food on the table, Gonzalez’s drive to become a successful pro became all-consuming. It’s a time he looks back on with huge pride, convinced the hardships he endured helped create who he is today.
“I believe that the person who doesn’t have anything is the one that struggles the most and can achieve something. When people don’t have too much is when they go forward and they shine. It’s been a big journey for me. Being born in Nicaragua in a humble and low-income environment made me mature professionally at an early age to help my family,” he says.
“It made me responsible and gave me a lot of motivation to be able to help my family move forward. It helped me a lot, not only to be Nicaraguan but also to come from a family with a lot of history in the world of boxing in Nicaragua. It fills me with pride to be able to represent my country and motivate the youth of the world to dedicate themselves to a sport and not fall into vices at an early age.”
On his way to gathering up world titles, Gonzalez’s rise has brought with it a renewed interest in boxing’s lower weight classes. Having historically struggled to earn significant purses, smaller fighters such as Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue are now finally making the sort of money their talent warrants, and many are claiming it’s the Nicaraguan who led the charge on this front. Gonzalez remains humble at the suggestion but accepts his fighting philosophy may have paved the way for others.
“I had a great mentor Alexis Argüello. He taught me that in the ring there can only be one aggressor and that must be me. I must press with long combinations and that is achieved through good preparation and daily discipline. I had many influences from Alexis, Oscar de La Hoya and Tito Trinidad, among others,” he says.
Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad, Action Images/Reuters
“Everybody has his own value but I’m super proud that I’ve fought the best, and maybe because I fought the best that’s made the opportunity for other fighters like Bam and Inoue to shine on their own. It hasn’t been easy. I’ve earned that respect among other fighters and in the world of boxing.”
Though many regard this next fight as one to merely shake off the ring rust, his opponent, Rober Barrera, has insisted that he’s looking to exact revenge after Gonzalez beat his brother, Ronald Barrera, almost 10 years ago in Nicaragua by way of a fifth-round stoppage.
Should ‘Chocolatito’ have his hand raised, however, a number of big fights could be on the horizon, with title fights against the likes of Nakatani and Takuma Inoue (brother of ‘The Monster’ Naoya, pictured below) a real possibility.
Takuma Inoue celebrates
Another world title in yet another weight class at this stage of his career would indeed be a remarkable achievement but right now Gonzalez insists he’s focused on July 12 and the emotional homecoming his fellow countrymen are about to gift him.
“We’re ready for any proposal that comes our way. We’re willing to fight anybody as long as the fight purse and the payment is good,” he declares. “God willing, we hope that, after winning this fight, more nice and very beautiful things will come to my career. God has a purpose in each of us and it is our mission to find it and fight to do better every day. Today I am mainly motivated by three things; to continue using my platform to carry high the name of Jesus Christ, my family, and to be able to retire as world champion. Everything else is secondary.”