By Steve Kim
On September 9th from the StubHub Center in Carson, California, HBO televised a tripleheader featuring the super flyweight division.
The main event featured Srisket Sor Rungvisai retaining his WBC title by knocking out Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez in four rounds in their rematch and the Stateside debut of WBO champion Naoya Inoue, who halted Antonio Nieves in five. Rounding out the bill was Juan Francisco's Estrada's exciting twelve round decision over Carlos Cuadras in a WBC final eliminator.
The card was a critical success.
And now plans are in place for another edition of 'SuperFly'.
"There's a number of fighters out there, obviously the winners of that night, including Rungvisai, Inoue, Estrada and I think Cuadras gave a great account of himself," said Peter Nelson, the head of HBO Sports.
A bout between Sor Rungvisai and Estrada is a natural given that the WBC had mandated that the winners of the two bouts on September 9th had to meet up next.
Sor Rungvisai arrived on the scene earlier this year when he upset an undefeated Chocolatito back in March at New York's Madison Square Garden. Currently, this weight class is deep with quality belt-holders and contenders.
"Kal Yafai, another champion in the division. I think he'd like to try and come over and make his U.S debut at some point. So I think there's a lot of names to mix-and-match. John Riel Casimero, some other guys as well, (Jerwin) Ancajas. So there's some really good fighters in the division and I think we're excited to see what mixes-and-matches we can make,'' Nelson told BoxingScene.com on Saturday night at the Forum.
Tentative plans are for this card to take place in the first quarter of 2018.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.