Unbeaten Roman Gonzalez on Saturday won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated champion Carlos Cuadras.
Gonzalez, 29, became the first fighter from Nicaragua to win world titles in four weight divisions, surpassing his hero and mentor, Alexis Arguello.
Gonzalez improved to 46-0 by holding on in the late rounds for the win in an entertaining showdown between the two unbeaten champions at the Forum in Los Angeles.
Photo: AP
“This was the most difficult fight I have had,” Gonzalez said. “It was complicated and we both were in very good condition.”
Mexico’s Cuadras proved to be a surprisingly difficult opponent for Gonzalez, who some consider to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Cuadras looked to be the fresher of the two in the 12th round, as the boxers traded punches in the center of the ring right up to the final bell.
Gonzalez, who moved up in weight class to fight for the title, won on all three judges’ cards by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113.
“I have never fought at this weight before, but the important thing is we won the fight,” he said.
Cuadras, 28, had defended his title seven times before losing for the first time in his professional career. His record fell to 35-1-1.
Gonzalez can credit his victory to a superb start, as he dominated the first half of the fight with a relentless forward attack accompanied by a variety of punches.
However, Cuadras proved to be a very difficult opponent, giving Gonzalez the most formidable test of his 11-year career.
He landed combinations, straight jabs and took the heaviest punches that Gonzalez could dish out in the 12-round slugfest.
Gonzalez’s face showed the marks of the battle, especially around his swollen eyes.
He said that Cuadras hurt him with some head shots.
“I caught some blows to the cheeks and I felt those,” he said. “I am always thinking about my family, my children.”
Until Saturday, no Nicaraguan had ever won a world title in four weight classes, including late legend Arguello.
Arguello took Gonzalez under his wing and mentored him after his boxing career ended. He trained him as both an amateur and professional prior to his death in 2009.
“I will never be better or above him. He will always be No. 1. I am just following his legacy,” Gonzalez said.
Arguello lost a pair of junior welterweight title fights to Aaron Pryor in 1982 and 1983 in a failed bid to capture his fourth world title.
This victory also moves Gonzalez another step closer to challenging for Manny Pacquiao’s record as an eight division champion.
However, seeing how he struggled somewhat on Saturday in the heavier super flyweight division might leave some in his camp wondering if another jump in weight might prove to be too much for Gonzalez.
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