San Antonio's "El Profesor" Josh Franco did more than just defend his WBA super flyweight title back in August when he dominated former champ, Andrew Moloney, over 12 dominant rounds In Tulsa Oklahoma. He secured himself a shot at history and to possibly enter the pound-for-pound rankings. Franco secured himself a shot at a future hall of fame, "Choclatito" Ramon Gonzalez who is perhaps the greatest little man the sport has ever seen, and Juan Francisco Estrada will do battle for the third time in March. The winner will hold the other version of the WBA and is mandated to fight Franco as the organization looks to consolidate its world champions.
Gonzalez and Estrada fought for a second time back in March at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, in what was the 2021 fight of the year. It was an incredibly high pace all-action war that most thought Chocolatito of Nicaragua eeked out. Two of the three judges surprisingly went the other way and awarded a split decision to Estrada of Mexico. Chocolatito has held world titles at four different weight classes (105,108,112,115) and has accumulated a record of 50-3 (41) and outpointed Estrada in their first fight back in 2012, that fight was for the WBA light fly (108-pound) world title. Estrada has amassed a record of 42-3 (28) and has captured world titles at 112 by outpointing Brian Viloria and then captured a world title at 115 by outpointing Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2019. Rungvisai has handed Chocolatito both of his losses.
Franco won the WBA belt back in 2020 when he outpointed Moloney in June of 2020 and scored a massive upset. The two battled five months later but the bout was ended prematurely after an accidental head butt caused a gruesome amount of swelling as well as broke his right orbital bone. The trilogy was back in August and Franco set the record straight in a performance that both El Professore and his trained the famed Robert Garcia described as "the best performance of his career". Franco's manager Rick Mirigian confirmed via Twitter when he was asked if it was finalized that Josh [Franco] gets the winner. Mirigian replied "He will get the Winner"