I think it would be an awfully big ask of Roman to fight Yafai, Ioka, Estrada and Rungvisai in the space of 16 months. As a matter of fact he would be insane to go near SRR again. A dream outcome for me would be that he beats Ioka and Estrada and then retires.
Chocolatito is really going for true greatness! He's still trying to prove that he can bounce back from a small set back by facing the best possible guys. What's not to like about him?? I would really like to see him face Donnie Nietes and Jerwin Ancajas at some point as well. If he manages to beats Ioka and Estrada again then there's no doubt that he's one of the best fighters of this era.
I was one of the people who were writing Roman's boxing obituary just a few months ago, but happily I've been very wrong
Let's not understate it. a HUGE setback. it's rare to see anyone bounce back from those back to back type of defeats against the same opponent - especially after an already lengthy career. Incredible the form Roman showed last weekend.
My thoughts exactly, unless Sor Rungvisai starts neglecting the necessities that a professional fighter must have to win just stay away from him.
Rumour has it Matchroom are launching in Japan this year and this could be on the card. Estrada vs Cuadras rematch in Mexico and then a unification of the winners later in the year then SSR vs the winner afterwards once he’s had a couple of tube ups
Let's remember that if he beats Ioka he'd have Andrew Moloney as his mandatory afterwards and likely Kosei Tanaka too if he succeeds past all of that. His best bets to get around the lineup of mandatories is to unify repeatedly. Even then if he gets the IBF off Ancajas next he'd have to fight Jonathan Javier Rodriguez at some point. The WBC has SSR at the mandatory spot so he should finish up on the Estrada fight and retire. He's already a great, he could be an all flyweight division TBE.
One, he didn't lose the first fight. That was a robbery. And two, lots of fighters have come back from double losses. Henry Armstrong against Fritzie Zivic, by the way he beat Zivic the next time. Ezzard Charles lost to Jimmy Bivins then was TKO'd by Lloyd Marshal. He came back and reversed the results. Dick Tiger vs Rory Calhoun. Gene Fullmer had back to back losses to Bobby Boyd and Eduardo Lasse. Mickey Walker faced back to back losses to Joe Dundee and Pete Latzo. Tommy Loughran lost twice in a row to Ernie Schaff. Tony Canzoneri suffered two losses to Barney Ross. Kid Norfolk lost two to Gunboat Smith and Gus Christie. Jack Kid Berg drew and lost to Billy Petrolle. Ted Kid Lewis had back to back losses to Jack Britton and Mike Gibbons. He had a three fight losing streak before that to Lockport Duffy, Jack Britton, and Soldier Bartfield. Before that he lost twice in a row to Fred Halsband and Young Brooks. He also had double losses to Jack Britton and Joe Eagan. Jack Britton had double losses to Lockport Duffy, then he lost to Packey McFarland and Mike Glover back to back. He lost five in a row to Ted Lewis. He lost two in a row to Benny Leonard and Jimmy O'Hagan. Kid Chocolate had a losing streak to Fidel Labarba and Battling Battalino. Ike Williams lost back to back to Kid Gavilan. You get the point. All of these fighters went on to have more success. The current meta, inspired by Floyd Mayweather, where a fighter protects his 0 not fighting anybody and when he loses once he's done, is a flawed paradigm for the sport which doesn't hold historically.
I'm not saying it hasn't happened. But it's usually a very ominous theme in a fighters career especially in the modern era, especially in lower weight classes - ESPECIALLY when they've been fairly inactive since. Roman had a lot going against him and his bounce back considering is spectacular.
