Roman Gonzalez is scheduled to face flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez on Saturday in San Diego.
Roman Gonzalez 50-3 (41 KOs) vs. Julio Cesar Martinez (18-1, 14 KOs)
- Date: Saturday, March 5
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET / 5: 30 p.m. PT
- Where: Pechanga Arena San Diego
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Cost: DAZN is $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually
- Division: Junior bantamweight (115 pounds)
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: No major titles
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: Gonzalez 1½-1 favorite
- Also on the card: Mauricio Lara vs. Emilio Sanchez, featherweights; Angel Fierro vs. Juan Carlos Burgos, lightweights
- Prediction: Gonzalez KO 9
- Background: Gonzalez was scheduled to face two-belt champion Juan Francisco Estrada in the rubber match of a trilogy but Estrada pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19. Martinez, a flyweight titleholder, immediately agreed to step in. Gonzalez, a former four-division titleholder, has written a remarkable comeback story. Many wrote off the Nicaraguan when he lost back-to-back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the second by knockout at 30, in 2017. However, he bounced back to win three consecutive fights – including a title-winning KO of Khalid Yafai – and some believe he was robbed when he lost a close decision to Estrada in a classic brawl a year ago. The future Hall of Famer seems to be near his best at 34. Martinez is the toughest late replacement you’ll ever see. The Mexican won his 112-pound title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in nine rounds in December 2019 and has successfully defended three times, not including a no-contest against McWilliams Arroyo this past November. Arroyo had to quit because of a deep cut. Martinez will be moving up in weight but should feel comfortable. The hard-charging boxer-puncher has weighed more than 112 in 12 of his 19 fights.
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