The essence of “Chocolatito” bar nothing!
We're only a couple of days away from witnessing one of the most exciting fights of the year – almost a chance meeting between former champion Roman Gonzalez and current WBC flyweight world champion Julio Cesar Martinez on March 5 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
Will it be a marathon or a brief encounter?
This potential fight of the year contender has generated great expectations among all fans, because Roman Gonzalez is already a legend atop a pedestal.
Consecrated as the only Nicaraguan champion to win the straw, light flyweight, flyweight and super flyweight titles, González is a superstar.
The four-time world champion, the pride of his country, known to all boxing fans, enjoys the life of Riley, from his achievements inside the ropes. But he’s also a person who always remembers his humble origin. As a youngster he sold “Pinesol” (liquid cleaner) roaming the streets of Barrio La Esperanza. He was fortified by hopes and dreams.
Román, who has mountain moving faith, knows that things happen for a reason. That God provides opportunities for us to form and fashion our destiny. Roman could have embarked upon a successful career in soccer.
But his future lay within a pair of gloves. It led him to be considered one of the “best pound for pound”, since his professional debut on July 1, 2005 , (just a couple of weeks after his 18th birthday) at the Pharaohs Casino in Managua, Roman has now won 50 fights, 41 on the fast track and of course! four world championships, the first of them when he was 21 years old.
Roman`s rock of faith is fundamental, but it’s also in his blood, since he comes from a family of fighters, as his father and uncle were boxers.
Like any child, Román imitated his father and with his friends from his neighborhood they improvised a small gym to be able to train; however, those “games” went a little further and in his father’s boxing school, “Chocolatito” and his friends organized bouts with children from other schools, and they charged a peso to enter. Thus… a bit of pocket money.
In love with boxing, Román`s idol, was three-division world champion Alexis Arguello, better known as “Flaco Explosivo”, the only Nicaraguan boxer to have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame of Canastota, New York, and named “Athlete of the Millennium” in his beloved Nicaragua.
Determined to follow the example of Alexis, one day, together with his father, Roman met the exceptional champion, and began to train, with his guidance.
Enthused, Román and other youngsters, set out to learn from Arguello, who was a relentless, dedicated teacher. He wanted his students to take each training session with the necessary application, because with all his experience, he knew that to be an outstanding boxer they had to sacrifice everything to reach the top.
The dreams of the now 4 times king of the ring started in that small house made of wood; The sand-filled bags hung from the tree in the yard, where he landed his first punches, from the days when he had to train, fortified with only a glass of sugar water. A hungry fighter`s food for thought! Roman`s determination and drive brought him closer to reaching for the stars and his God gave him confidence to fulfill his destiny.
Arguello identified, recognized, saw and knew that steely determination, and used all of his vast experience to help the young man, who, despite having a strong character, was always humble and carefully listened to the instructions, absorbing every last grain and quenching drop of knowledge.
Today with a new challenge in the next chapter of his outstanding boxing career, Roman aims for victory over rugged Julio Cesar Martinez. Not only confident in his extraordinary training camp, but also in the panther like synchrony of his movements, his guile, savvy strategy and of his indomitable will to win.
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