Roman Gonzalez vs Rober Barrera Preview July 12th, 2024
Former world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez of Nicaragua will be taking on Colombia’s Rober Barrera in a 10-round bantamweight tilt at the Alexis Arguello stadium in Managua this Friday, July 12th with the fight being available in America on ESPN+. Gonzalez last fought in December, 2022 when he met Juan Francisco Estrada for the third time for the Ring and the vacant WBC World Super Flyweight Titles and lost a controversial majority decision. Gonzalez and Estrada previously met in March 2021 with Estrada wining a highly-controversial 12-round split decision. They first met in 2012 with Gonzalez taking a 12-round unanimous decision. Barrera was last in action in December when he stopped Victor Berrio in the second round.
Gonzalez vs Barrera Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Rober Barrera +1400
- Roman Gonzalez -4000
My Pick
Gonzalez just turned 37 years old and enters the fight with an impressive mark of 51-4 with 41 Kos. He suffered back-to-back losses to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand by majority decision and a fourth-round stoppage in 2017 for first two pro losses and then took a year off before stopping Moises Fuentes in the fifth round in 2018. He then took another 15-month layoff before stopping Diomel Diocos in the second round in December, 2019 before stopping Khalid Yafai just two months later to take his WBA Super Flyweight Crown.
He defended it against Israel Gonzalez and was then edged by Estrada for his third career loss. Gonzalez was known as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet before running into Rungvisai and since returning to the ring he’s made a strong case to re re-inserted into the top-10 pound-for-pound list with his performances. In fact, Gonzalez beat Julio Cesar Martinez by 12-round unanimous decision for the vacant WBC Diamond Super Flyweight Title in March, 2022. Gonzalez is a four-division world champion as he won the WBC Super Flyweight title in September, 2016 before meeting Rungvisai.
He has also been a titleholder at minimumweight, light-flyweight and flyweight. He has plenty of power with as 80.1 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but he hasn’t recorded a knockout since halting Khalid Yafai in the ninth round in February, 2020 for the WBA Super Flyweight Title. Gonzalez’s mobility allows him to control the ring and he likes to use his aggression to unleash quick, painful combinations on his opponents whenever he sees an opening. He’s not the best defensive boxer in the world and there’s a slight question mark about his chin.
Gonzalez turned pro in 2005 and has 295 rounds of experience since then. He stands 5-feet-3-inches tall and has a wingspan of 64 inches and should definitely end up in the Hall of Fame once he retires. He’s faced good opposition over the years with wins over Estrada, Julio Cesar Martinez, Khalid Yafai, McWilliams Arroyo, Akira Yaegashi, Rocky Fuentes, Valentin Leon, Edgar Sosa, Brian Viloria, Omar Salado, Omar Soto, Francisco Rosas, Katsunari Takayama, Yutaka Niida and Manuel Vargas.
The 31-year-old Barrera climbs through the ropes with a record of 27-5 with 17 Ko’s and has 185 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2013. He measures just over 5-feet-4-inches tall with a 66.5-inch reach which gives him a 1.5-inch edge in height on Gonazlez and a 2.5-inch reach advantage. As far as power goes, Barrera has enough of it to cause some damage as 63 per cent of his victories have come by stoppage.
Barrera’s five defeats came at the hands of Carlos Canizales by 11-round split decision in 2015 in a shot at the WBA Fedelatin Light Flyweight Title; a ninth-round TKO to Ryoichi Taguchi in 2017 in a shot at the WBA Light-Flyweight Belt; an 11th-round TKO to Luis Concepcion in 2020 in an attempt at the Interim WBA Flyweight Title; a 12-round unanimous decision to Muhammad Waseem in 2021 for the vacant WBC Silver Flyweight Crown and a 10-round split decision to Pablo Carrillo in 2022 for the WBC Continental Americas Super Flyweight Belt.
As a pro, Barrera captured the vacant WBA Fedelatin Light-Flyweight Title in 2014 when he stopped Gilberto Pedroza in the fifth round and the vacant WBA Fedebol Flyweight Belt in 2019 with a 10-round unanimous decision over Josber Perez. Barrera has fallen short most times when he’s taken a step up in class but does have enough experience against top-level boxers to be a threat to the aging Gonzalez this weekend.
Prediction…
Gonzalez isn’t shy about letting his hands go and throwing punches in volume while cutting off the ring and also going to the body. Barrera isn’t a world-class boxer at this point but still poses a formidable threat. As long as Gonzalez hasn’t been affected by his recent playoff and hasn’t lost any of his speed and power he should be able to take care of things Friday night. However, the -4000 odds may be far too generous toward Gonzalez. Yes, he should win this fight but it should be a lot closer than the odds suggest.
Gonzalez has the edge in power and experience.
Play: Gonzalez -4000 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Rober Barrera betting • Roman Gonzalez betting