With lucrative options looming ahead, Joshua Franco is more focused than ever to take care of present-day business.
The 24-year old San Antonio still draws fond memories of his secondary junior bantamweight title win over Andrew Moloney (21-1, 14KOs), dethroning the previously unbeaten Australian this past June in Las Vegas. The WBA ”Regular” version of the title he claimed puts him on a straightaway path toward a dream fight with four-division and reigning WBA “Super” champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (49-2, 41KOs) whenever such a fight can be ordered.
“A wish for anyone to defend my title against, I would say against Chocolatito,” Franco (17-1-2, 8KOs) insisted to BoxingScene.com and other reporters during a recent virtual media roundtable discussion. “That’s the fight I want. I’m the regular champ, he’s the super champ. Why not make that fight happen.
“I’ve been watching him since I was an amateur. To have the regular champion while he’s the super champion, it’s crazy.”
Nicaragua’s Gonzalez re-entered the title fold following a one-sided 9th round stoppage of previously unbeaten Kal Yafai this past February in Frisco, Texas. A title fight wasn’t even on Franco’s radar at the time, even less so when the United States was hit with the first wave of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Once Top Rank, Moloney’s stateside promoter was able to set up shop for a closed-doors boxing series in Las Vegas, Franco liked his chances of being tabbed to compete. He seized the moment, knowing that there stood a chance of having to do it all again even before moving on to a fight with Gonzalez or even divisional lineal champion Juan Francisco Estrada.
That part never bothered Franco, who doesn’t see any reason why he can’t repeat what he accomplished earlier in the summer. From there, onto the type of fights where a win can forever alter his standing in the sport.
"I would just fight my fight. Just be smart, find my punches and break him down little by little. I have the confidence that I can do anything I put my mind to."
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox