In the last weeks of January, what started as a rumor turned into a reality. “Gallito” was not in the condition to fight “Chocolatito“ (50-3-0, 41 KO’s) due to health issues: he wasinfected with COVID-19 for a second time, and even though he had overcome the virus,he was not being able to train properly as a strong cough appeared every time he made a high physical effort.

Facing an elite boxer as the Nicaraguan,a four-division World Champion, deserves the best preparation. So Estrada (42-3-0, 28 KO’s)and his team dropped the fight. His replacement is fellow countryman Julio Cesar “Rey” Martinez, (18-1-0, 14 KO’s) the current WBC World Flyweight Champion.

The consequences for Gallito Estrada after his COVID-19 contagion

The very first bad news for Juan Francisco Estrada is that he may have lost his opportunity to clash againwith Roman Gonzalez in the peak of both. The fans also have suffered a big loss with Gallito’s withdrawal cause the second fight between Estrada and Chocolatito established a new record in the Super flyweight division: the bout with the most punches thrown (2500).

Now, one more bill to pay has been sent to the Sonora native: as the fight with Roman Gonzalez is not going to be done, the WBA, from which Estrada is the current Super WorldJunior bantamweight Champion has ordered him to face a consolidation title against Joshua Franco.

Also known asthe Professor, the 26 years old American boxer has a resumé of 18-1-2 (8 KO’s). He holds the WBA Regular Super flyweight title since 2020 and now has the chance to become the WBA main man at 115 pounds.

It is evident that if it would not have been motivated by the cancelation of his participation in the fight with Roman ChocolatitoGonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrada would not have chosen Franco as a rival, and now he would not be immediately available to face the Gonzalez vs Martinez winner.

The WBA has settled a 30 days negotiation period, between February 9 and March 11, to agreethe Estrada vs Franco fight. If it is not successful, a purse bid hearing will be determined to concrete the consolidation fight for the World Super flyweight title.

So far in 2022, there have been, at least, threegoodclashes that have suffered modifications or, even more, have been canceled due to COVID-19 contagion. The first of these situations occurredon the very first boxing card of the year. Canelo Alvarez teammate, Frank Sanchez lost his rival Carlos Negron had to be replaced by German Christian Hammer. The result was a very boring fight as Hammer was not in shape.

The first 2022 World title fight suffered the pandemic force. WBO World Light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr was supposed to defend his belt from British Callum Johnson, however, the contender was pulled out of 9 days before the main date, again, because of a COVID-19 contagion. Jesse Vargas vs Liam Smith didn’t have the same luck as Vargas infection cause of the cancelation of the bout scheduled for February 5.

The mega-fight that could not happen owing to COVID-19

For many boxing fans and experts, the most anticipated fight for the first trimester of 2022 was the third clash between Juan FranciscoGalloEstrada and RomanChocolatitoGonzalez. The supremacy of the Super flyweight division was at stake; also the WBA World title of the 115pounds category.

However, according to Levi Luna, Nicaraguanjournalist, the fight between the Mexican and the Nicaraguan titans could not be held on March 5 as it was anticipated. The reason is a COVID-19 contagion ofGallitoEstrada in the early days of January 2022.

Lunasaid that the current WBA World Super flyweight Champion hadtough symptoms like feverand cough. Then, after coming back to training on January 17, Estrada’s bodyhas not performed as he expected, so the Mexican’s team might have taken the decision to postpone the clash against Chocolatito Gonzalez. However, a medical statement of Estrada and Matchroom Boxing is expected to be released soon to clarify the situation.

Juan Francisco Estrada has lost his first fight against RomanChocolatitoGonzalez in 2012by the way of a unanimous decision. Then, in 2021, both have clashed again, being the Mexican boxer the winner with a controversial split decision. In this bout, Estrada and Gonzalez have set the record of the major amount of punches thrown in a 115-pound fight, with 2,500 blows.

The Thai Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras have clashed in 2014, in Mexico City, in a fight for the WBC Super flyweight World title. On that occasion, PrinceCuadras was crowned new monarch of the 115-pound category. However, the way the fight ended was an invitation to have a rematch, the one that will happen almost 8 years after.

During round 8 of a very intense fight, Cuadras got his left eye cut because of a head clash with Sor Rungvisai. The injury did not allow the Sinaloanative to continue so it was necessary to go to the card’s punctuation so farto have a winner: Cuadras overcame Rungvisai, who suffered a one-point deduction due to the headbutt he gave to Carlos. Both fighters will meet again in the ring for the same boxing world title.

The best upcoming fights of the lightest boxing weight classes

On the horizon of boxing fans, not only Sor Rungvisai vs Carlos Cuadras II appears as a promising fight of the smallestdivisions. Probably no other of the heavier classes aboveoffer the clash of their top dogs in consecutive months. Get ready cause the action will not stop.

Panya Pradabsri vs Wanheng Menayothin II. Since January 25, there will be elite bouts in the tiny categories of boxing. The Thai Pradabsri (37-1-0) defends his WBC World Minimum title in a rematch against veteran countryman Wanheng Menayothin (55-1-0). Pradabsri broke the undefeated 54 fight streak of Menayothin and took the WBCbelt away from himwith a victory by a Unanimous Decision in November 2020.

Juan Francisco Estrada vs Roman Gonzalez III. Exactly one month after Rungvisai vs Cuadras II, the Super flyweight division has another World title fight and, maybe, a contender for the Fight of the Year award with the third clash betweenGallo (42-3-0)andChocolatito (50-3-0). Until now the score is 1-1.

The Nicaraguan fourth-division World Champion defeated Estrada in 2012 by the way of a Unanimous Decision in Los Angeles. At that time, Gonzalez was considered as one of the best Pound for Pound boxers in the world. In 2021, the Mexican overcameChocolatitoon a controversial Split decision. This last fight between them holds the current record of most punches thrown in a fight of 112 lbs with 2500.

Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire II. Back in 2019, one of the most memorable bouts was the one between The MonsterandThe Filipino Flash. The Japanesefighter was close to getting knocked out and losing his undefeated, buthis granite chin saved him and also helped him to steal Nonito’s WBA World Bantambelt.

Twoyears later, Inoue (22-0-0, 19 KO’s) is at the peak of his career and searches to give one more step to the Unification of the 118 lbs World titles. On his behalf, Donaire has had an incredible comeback to the boxing elite by becoming the WBC World Bantam Champion. A World title unification fightbetween the Japanese three-division World Champion and the Philippine four-division monarch is reported to happen in April in Japan, according to Boxing Scene.

Of course, even all the following clashes are already signed, the world has and faces right nowa very skillfulrival, the pandemic due to COVID-19, that is capable of causing last minutes changes, such as the recently announced for January 15: WBO Light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr‘s rival Callum Johnson was ruled out due to the virus.

The first 3 months of 2022 bring to the boxing fans all kinds of bouts: the nostalgic ones, such as the comeback of former World Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez vs Macaulay McGowan; those of vindication, being Keith Thurman vs Mario Barrios and Amir Khan vs Kell Brook, and the ones for supremacylike Charlo vs Castaño II, Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall andClaressa Shields vs. Ema Kozin.

The best upcoming boxing fights in 2022’s first trimester

The attention is stolen by Claressa Shields vs. Ema Kozin. The undefeated Russian Kozin wants to take away T-Rexbelts collection:WBC, IBF, and WBA women’s Middleweight titles. Besides Shields, just Unified Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor, and legend Amanda Serrano can be named as the current Pound for Pound best female fighters.

When a Unified World Champion comes to the ring is impossible not to stare at him. This is the case of Scottish Josh Taylor who exposes all of his Junior welterweight titles against undefeated Jack Catterall. This war’s winner may have the right to meet former WorldLightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez in the ring in the last months of 2022.

The young blood of boxing wants to grow up quickly by winning interesting fights to have the right to demand top-class opponents. We are talking about Jaime Munguia and Vergil Ortiz Jr.. Both need to confirm what everybody expects of them with convincing victories against D’Mitrius Ballard and Michael Mckinson.

Finally, a World Champion in four weight classes comes back after suffering his first and terrifying knockout courtesy of GervontaTankDavis: Leo TerremotoSanta Cruz. The Mexican champ meets KeenanBedoCarbajal in Las Vegas. Could Leo be able to recover from the darkest episode of his career?

The whole list of the next best upcoming fights

-March 4,Jose Ramirez vsJose Pedraza, Super lightweight

-March 5, Roman Gonzalez vs Julio Cesar Martinez, WorldSuper flyweight

-March 19 Vergil Ortiz Jr. vsMichael McKinson, Welterweight

Edgar Berlanga vs Steve Rolls, Super welterweight

-March 26, Kiko Martinez vsJosh Warrington, IBF World Featherweight title

The highly expected rematch between Estrada and ‘Chocolatito’ will take place about nine years later from their only meeting so far. They will face at the American Airlines Center from Dallas in a massive super flyweight title unification fight.

The Mexican heads to this event to defend the WBC title that he clinched in April, 2019 against Sor Rungvisai, who beat him on their previous battle. The ‘Gallo’ now faces the opportunity to take another revenge, this time against ‘Chocolatito’, who is putting the WBA super flyweight belt at stake.

Juan Francisco Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González: Fight Information

Date: Saturday, March 13, 2021
Time: Coverage starts 8 PM (ET), the Main EventEstrada vs González 11 PM (ET) approximately.
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas

Juan Francisco Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González: Time by State in the US

Main Event:
ET: 11 PM (approximately).
CT: 10 PM
MT: 9 PM
PT: 8 PM

* The start time of the fight depends on the length of the previous bouts.

Juan Francisco Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González: Storylines

This is one of the most desired fights that the boxing world has been waiting for. Almost nine years have passed from the only time in which they faced each other. ‘Chocolatito’ was the winner then, and from that moment on, things have been a bit different for both.

The ‘Gallo’ came back really stronger after that defeat by unanimous decision and recorded 15 wins out of 16 battles. The only defeat he suffered was againstSor Rungvisai, to whom he beat afterwards to claim the belt that he currently holds. Before to this upcomingmatchup, Estrada has retained the WBC super flyweight title twice.

‘Chocolatito’ continued with an impressive streak after that highly remembered win over the Mexican, and went up to an amazing 46-0 record. However, Rungvisai shocked him in two consecutive fights, the first one by Majority decision and the other by Knockout. González still managed to bounce back and won four straight bouts after that. The native of Nicaragua claimed the WBA belt against Khalid Yafai and retained it vs Israel González on October 2020. The winner of this upcoming fight would be certainly recognized as the world’s best superflyweight boxer, as both the WBA and the WBCtitles are at stake.

How to watch or live stream Juan Francisco Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González in the US

The Main Event of Juan Francisco ‘Gallo’ Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González 2 of Saturday March 13, 2021 to be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas will be broadcasted in the US by DAZN.

Juan Francisco Estrada vs Román ‘Chocolatito’ González: Predictions and Odds

Oddsmakers seem to be quite certain about who may claim the win in Dallas. FanDuel has given odds of -174 to Juan Francisco Estrada beating ‘Chocolatito’, while a victory of Román González would result in a +136 payout.

* Odds via FanDuel