Cuadras open to Roman Gonzalez bout if Teiken makes it

by David P. Greisman

The prospect of power puncher vs. power puncher is always an alluring one. And so after 115-pound titleholder Carlos Cuadras topped Marvin Mabait this past Thursday, he was asked about facing 112-pound champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.

“It is hard because we are both from Teiken Promotions,” he said at one point, but later saying that he’d be open to it if the promoter wants to make the bout.

Teiken is a Japan-based company with titleholders from that country as well as a couple from elsewhere in the world in Cuadras (of Mexico) and Gonzalez (of Nicaragua), plus former beltholder Jorge Linares (of Venezuela).

Cuadras won his belt earlier in the year, with a cut-shortened technical decision over previous titleholder Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in May. His first defense was in September, a cut-shortened technical draw with Jose Salgado. After topping Mabait, he is now 31-0-1 with 25 KOs.

Gonzalez is a former 105- and 108-pound titleholder who dominated lineal flyweight champ Akira Yaegashi in September, moving to 40-0 with 34 KOs. He is scheduled to defend against Rocky Fuentes on Nov. 22.

Cuadras said he wants to stay at 115 through four defenses of his title — “maybe one more year,” he said —before moving up in weight.

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