By Robert Segal: Eddie Hearn says he plans to face WBC super flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez against the winner of the Dec. 3 trilogy bout between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.
Hearn feels that the undefeated 22-year-old Bam Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) is ready to take on Chocolatito and Estrada. Of course, Hearn also believed that Julio Cesar Martinez was ready for Chocolatito (51-3, 41 KOs) last March, and he was embarrassed for him, losing a 12-round unanimous decision.
It is entirely possible that if Chocolatito looks too formidable in beating Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs) on December 3, Hearn and Bam Rodriguez’s management will not place him with the talented Nicaraguan fighter.
As good as Rodriguez looked, beating Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras, his performances were nowhere near what we saw from Chocolatito in his last two fights against Rey Martinez and Estrada.
By comparison, Bam Rodríguez continues to paint with the number system. He is not the same kind of talent as Chocolatito and he never will be. Bam is a good fighter, but not that kind of talented.
Estrada looked awful last Saturday, beating Argi Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) by a 12-round unanimous decision in Mexico. Estrada looked like a fighter on the hill who had fought too many times.
After that performance, putting it with Chocolatito sounds like a really dumb idea. Aside from money, Estrada fighting Chocolatito is bad news.
“I agree with you. I thought Chocolatito got over that second fight. It was an amazing fight to watch live. The third fight can only be exciting,” Eddie Hearn told DAZN Boxing Show about the December 3 trilogy fight between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.
“Chocolatito is somehow going through the gears and getting better and better. It is remarkable to see. Cortes was brilliant last Saturday [against Estrada].
“It is very difficult to go into a warm-up fight where they are going to announce the Chocolatito fight if you win. It’s hard to put on your best performances in those kinds of fights, but Estrada got the win.
“I think Chocolatito is the favorite for the December 3 rematch, and then I think the winner should fight Jesse Rodriguez in an amazing fight in one of the biggest fights in the sport.
“We are going to announce that [Estrada vs. Chocolatito III] next week. It could be San Antonio. Jesse Rodriguez, all is well next week in Las Vegas [against Israel Gonzalez on September 17th], will also be on the co-main of that card as well. That is a huge letter.
“It’s difficult because Chocolatito is with us and Techin, Mr. Honda, and Estrada too. Sometimes he doesn’t like to get his guys together, but Chocolatito vs. Jesse Rodriguez is just [huge].
“You’re talking about me as a fight fan, it’s probably one of the best fights in the sport, but we’ll see. He has to beat Estrada first. Maybe he [Bam Rodriguez] Estrada fight. I can’t wait,” Hearn said.
