Boxing Challenge

 The Saturday night offering by DAZN from San Diego, California has a main event that would be considered disappointing if it turned out to be only a good fight and is expected to be a terrific matchup.

Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez was scheduled to fight the rubber match of his series with WBA junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada but when Estrada dropped from the bout with Covid-19, boxing fans prepared to be disappointed in losing such an anticipated fight.

Most observers thought Gonzalez had done enough to take Estrada's WBC title (since vacated in favor of the silly "Franchise" title) away and add it to Gonzalez's own WBA title but Estrada won a close split decision (I scored it even at 114-114) with one absurd score of 117-111 for Estrada, so the third fight was (and is ) highly anticipated.

However, the replacement for Estrada is no slouch as WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez quickly agreed to replace Estrada and since the fight is not for a title nor at flyweight, Martinez can keep his flyweight title win or lose.

Martinez is an exciting fighter that grew up idolizing Gonzalez and I see some similarities in their styles.

Both fighters throw their punches from various angles, aren't afraid to walk to their opponent, aren't likely to wait to throw punches, and can box a bit should they decide to do so.

While I'm not ready to say Gonzalez-Martinez is as good as Gonzalez-Estrada III yet, it's a pretty nice consolation prize.

The co-feature will be pit unlucky featherweight contender Mauricio Lara against Emilio Sanchez in a ten-rounder.

Lara, who was expected to be little more than a showcase opponent for then-IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington, saw Warrington vacate the title before their fight, and then Lara beat Warrington up for eight rounds before knocking him cold with a left hook before a two-round no contest in the rematch-Only to see Warrington receive a shot at new IBF champion Kiko Martinez rather than Lara.

The power-punching Mexican faces Emilio Sanchez in what seems to be a stay busy bout as Sanchez is 19-1 but has fought no one of note and has been knocked out in two rounds by Eugene Lagoa, who was 12-5-2 entering their fight.

Boxing Challenge

Junior Bantamweights. 12 Rds

Roman Gonzalez vs Julio Cesar Martinez

R.L: Gonzalez KO 10

TRS: Gonzalez Unanimous Decision

V.S: Martinez KO 11

Featherweights. 10 Rds

Mauricio Lara vs Emilio Sanchez

R.L: Lara Unanimous Decision

TRS: Lara KO 4

V.S: Lara KO 9