Joshua Franco watched with blended feelings from ringside as Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez threw down for a 3rd time.
Mexico’s Estrada was beforehand tied to a WBA title consolidation conflict with San Antonio’s Franco, as the 2 had been as a result of meet earlier this summer season. The combat finally fell by means of, with Estrada stripped of his model of the WBA 115-pound title for failure to defend. Franco was upgraded from secondary to full title standing, which allowed him to pursue the unification bout with WBO champ Kazuto Ioka on December 31 at Ota-Metropolis Common Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t assist however suppose how a combat with Estrada would have panned out whereas in the home to look at the division’s lineal champ prevail over Gonzalez earlier this month at Desert Diamond Area in Glendale, Arizona.
“I actually wished it to be Estrada but it surely simply didn’t occur,” Franco instructed BoxingScene.com. “Watching that (third) combat with Chocolatito, I used to be simply matching my type with theirs.
“If I get to combat both of them, it will be an incredible combat for the followers. To all of the 115-pound fighters, I’m coming. Let me gather this second belt after which I’m coming for the remainder of you.”
Estrada (44-3, 28KOs) regained the vacant WBC title along with his repeat win over Nicaragua’s Gonzalez (51-4, 41KOs). Mockingly, the belt was made accessible by Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (17-0, 11KOs), Franco’s youthful brother who received the strap earlier this yr and defended twice however has since dropped again right down to flyweight.
The win and the excessive profile combat justified Estrada’s resolution to let go of the WBA ‘Tremendous’ title. The transfer got here on the expense of Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs), whose inactive interval was prolonged by one other 4 months in consequence although he landed on his toes with an equally vital combat. It means having to journey to the opposite facet of the world, as Franco has been in Tokyo since mid-December in preparation for his year-ending collision with Ioka (29-2, 15KOs).
The winner of Ioka-Franco will current a sexy choice to Estrada, who was permitted a voluntary title protection by the WBC for his subsequent outing. Franco is absolutely centered on taking good care of present-day enterprise but additionally can’t assist however take into consideration a future combat that will assist settle up a chunk of his previous.
“It’s laborious particularly with the best way Estrada and Chocolatito carried out, it made me wish to get in there with them proper now,” Franco admitted. “I gotta give attention to Ioka proper right here. I can’t get there with out getting previous this man.
“However hopefully all goes effectively for me after which I can look ahead to these massive fights with Estrada and Chocolatito.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox