By Miguel Rivera
WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada (33-2, 24KOs) is searching for huge fights in 2016.
His promoter, Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions, will first try to secure a fight with Filipino star Donnie Nietes, and then a rematch unification with Nicaraguan Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez (44-0, 38KOs).
Gonzalez and Estrada face each other in a very exciting contest, at junior flyweight, in November 2012. Gonzalez won a twelve round unanimous decision at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles and still considers Estrada to be the toughest opponent of his career.
Beltran says they are eager to get Gonzalez in the ring.
"We will find two fights [this year], with Donnie Nietes then Román González," acknowledged Beltran. "Roman, in all of his statements, whether they are right or wrong - says HBO has the last word [on the rematch] and hewants to know how much money he will get. And the only thing that we're demanding is for him to get in the ring," Beltran told ESPN Deportes.
Beltran also poked holes in Gonzalez being appointed as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in the aftermath of Floyd Mayweather's retirement last September.
"Since their fight [in 2012], Estrada has demonstrated that he's fought with opponents of a higher quality than Chocolatito Gonzalez. Also, you must remember that Estrada went down to junior flyweight to face 'Chocolatito', and [Estrada] had never made 108 pounds [before]...that was a great advantage that 'Chocolatito' had and you already saw the type of fight [Estrada] gave. You can not say that you are the pound for pound the best if you don't face the best," Beltran said.
