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Boxing: Estrada edges Gonzalez in super flyweight world title trilogy fight

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Juan Francisco Estrada (R) of Mexico throws a right on Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua during their WBC super flyweight title bout at Desert Diamond Arena on December 03, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/12/04/box_juan-francisco-estrada_afp.jpg"/><figcaption>Juan Francisco Estrada (R) of Mexico throws a right on Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua during their WBC super flyweight title bout at Desert Diamond Arena on December 03, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP</figcaption></figure></div>LOS ANGELES -- Juan Francisco Estrada won a majority decision over Roman Gonzalez Saturday to claim the vacant WBC super flyweight world title in an action-packed third installment of their rivalry.Mexico&#x27;s Estrada notched his second straight victory in the trilogy that began 10 years ago, taking advantage of Gonzalez&#x27;s measured start before the Nicaraguan, nicknamed &quot;Chocolatito,&quot; stepped up the pace at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.Estrada got the nod by the barest margin, two judges scoring it in his favor 116-112 and 115-113 while the third saw it a 114-114 draw.He improved to 44-3 with 28 wins inside the distance, looking much the sharper as he tagged Gonzalez with well-timed punches as the 35-year-old former four-division champion got off to a sluggish start.In the middle rounds, however, Gonzalez, who fell to 51-4 with 41 knockouts, began to turn up the pressure -- moving forward aggressively and pushing Estrada back.The ninth saw a string of momentum swings, Gonzalez doing damage to Estrada&#x27;s body and Estrada firing combinations and landing a left hook that seemed to shake Gonzalez.Gonzalez went down in the 10th but it was ruled a slip, and he had closed the gap by the start of the 12th.However, Estrada came through in the final round, shaking off a left hook-right hand combination and landing a combination of his own as he gained the edge.&quot;I always go from less to more,&quot; Estrada said. &quot;Chocolatito can&#x27;t really do that because he&#x27;s always going at 100 miles per hour throughout the fight.&quot;I made sure that I was counter-punching and threw a lot of punches.&quot;Although it was close, it was a more clear-cut victory than Estrada&#x27;s split-decision triumph in March of 2021.&quot;It was a nice fight for the public,&quot; Gonzalez said. &quot;I did what I could, and that was the result.&quot;With the 2021 win Estrada retained his WBC title and snatched Gonzalez&#x27;s World Boxing Association belt.He won on two of the judges&#x27; scorecards with one judge giving the fight to Gonzalez after a slugfest that some thought should have gone the Nicaraguan&#x27;s way.Their first fight came in 2012, when Gonzalez gained a unanimous decision in a light flyweight world title bout.© Agence France-Presse

Juan Francisco Estrada won a majority decision over Roman Gonzalez Saturday to claim the vacant WBC super flyweight world title.