Following on from Juan Francisco Estrada’s stunning win over Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez last weekend, fight fans are desperate to see the well-matched pair renew hostilities once more. Their 12-round battle that went to the former via split decision is the front runner for 2021 fight of the year awards, but before a third fight to decide the series can be made Estrada has to face his mandatory challenger, Thailand’s Sor Rungvisai, or face being stripped.
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Saturday’s incredible fight, was pushed on the next move for Estrada when appearing as a guest on this week’s Ak and Barak Show. “Estrada has a mandatory with Rungvisai so it’s difficult but the whole world wants to see number three," he said. "Do you want to keep the WBC belt? Or are you at the stage where you want to go where the demand is and where the money is?”
With options plentiful for all fighters concerned, super-flyweight is now one of boxing’s hottest divisions and a number of scenarios could emerge over the next couple of years as a number of high-quality fighters set their sights on Estrada’s throne. With the boxing community still catching their breath from Estrada-Gonzalez 2, Hearn was insistent that both fighters are desperate to get it on one more time despite what boxing’s governing bodies may say.
“It’s quite funny as I thought that Estrada would have no interest in fighting 'Chocolatito,'” revealed Hearn. “He avenged the defeat. It was a close fight. He got the decision. I thought 'Chocolatito' might go ‘You know what? That was another war. I’m getting old.’
“Within ten minutes of the fight, both teams had already told me that they wanted to do number three. It’s still got a little bit of work to do because of the Rungvisai situation because he’s got to get a shot at the title but I just want to see it again.”
The Ak and Barak Show is exclusive to DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation. Watch here