Roman Gonzalez

Román Alberto González Luna (June 17, 1987), best known as Román González, is a Nicaraguan professional boxer. He is the current WBC, Lineal and The Ring magazine flyweight champion, as well as a former WBA light flyweight and WBA minimumweight champion, respectively. Along with his idol and former mentor, Nicaraguan legend Alexis Arguello, González is a three-weight world champion, with both being the only two in Nicaragua's history. He is currently considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. González currently boasts an 84% knockout knockout ratio.

Dubbed "El Chocolatito", an 18 year old González turned pro in the Minimumweight/Light Flyweight divisions in 2005. In his debut, he fought at the Pharaohs Casino in Managua, Nicaragua against 23 year old Ramon Urbina (0-1, 0 KOs) in a scheduled 4 round fight. Gonzalez won via knockout in round 2. In his 9th professional fight, Gonzalez, who had won his first 8 pro fights all by knockout, challenged Oscar Murillo (11-10, 8 KOs) for the vacant Nicaraguan and vacant WBA Fedecentro light flyweight titles. Gonzalez won via a 1st round knockout. Gonzalez won his first 16 fights all by way of knockout, before meeting Hiroshi Matsumoto (17-7-4, 8 KOs) at the Bunka Gym in Yokohama, Japan on Janaury 14, 2008. The fight went the full 10 round as Gonzalez picked up the win via unanimous decision (100-90 twice, 98-92).

Gonzalez challenged the WBA world minimum weight champion Yutaka Niidai (23-1-3, 9 KOs) Yokohama, Japan and scored a technical knockout to win the title in 58 seconds of the fourth round on September 15, 2008. Gonzalez was ahead on all three judges scorecards at the time of stoppage (30-27, 3 times).

After winning the WBA title, González made his debut as flyweight on December 13, 2008 where he stopped Miguel Tellez (18-11, 6 KOs) in the 3rd of a 10-round bout.

He went back to minimumweight on February 28, 2009 to defend his world crown against Francisco Rosas (20-5-2, 12 KOs) which he won by majority decision (116-112, 115-113 & 114-114). This was Gonzalez's first time fighting in Mexico.

In July 2009, Gonzalez defended his World title at the World Memorial Hall in Japan against Katsunari Takayama (23-3, 9 KOs). After 12 rounds, the three judges all scored it 118-110 for Gonzalez. In January 2010, Gonzalez knocked out Ivan Meneses (14-5-1, 8 KOs) in round 3, before the fight was stopped in round 4 to retain his world title.

After vacating his minimumweight title, Gonzalez moved up light flyweight and defeated Jesus Limones (10-1-1, 4 KOs) via 2nd TKO.

A 23 year old Gonzalez won the vacant WBA Interim Light Flyweight Title against Mexican Francisco Rosas (21-7-2, 12 KOs) in Tokyo on October 24, 2010. This was the second time they had fought, having previously fought a minimumweight. Gonzalez won by KO in the second round. Rosas was knocked down three times in this fight. Gonzalez said after his first fight against Francisco Rosas that he had to fight being ill with severe stomach disorders, and that was the reason why he looked so sluggish and tired. Gonzalez was promoted to full champion in February 2011.

Gonzalez was victorious over Mexican boxers, Manuel Vargas (30-7-1, 15 KOs) via unanimous decicion (119-109, 116-112 twice) and Omar Salado (22-3-2, 13 KOs) via round 7 TKO respectively in March and July, both in Mexico, he retained the title.

In his third defense, fighting for the first time at the Marquee Ballroom in MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 1, 2011, González knocked out Omar Soto (22-8-2, 15 KOs) with his right straight, left uppercut combinations 36 seconds of the 2nd round. Soto weighed in at 111lb, which is above the weight limit.

On March 17, 2012 Gonzalez faced Manuel Jimenez (11-2-1, 5 KOs) at Sinaloa, Mexico, defeating Jimenez via 1st round KO. This was a non-title fight.

On April 28, 2012 Gonzalez defended his WBA World light flyweight title against Ramon Garcia Hirales (16-3-1, 9 KOs) at the Fairplex in Pinomona, California. The fight ended as the count was waived by referee Raul Caiz Jr, after Garcia was knocked down twice in the 4th round. Gonzalez was ahead 30-27 on all three judges scorecards at the time of stoppage.

Gonzalez moved up to Flyweight on October 6, 2012 fighting undefeated 23 year old Stiven Monterrosa (9-0-2, 8 KOs) at the Hotel Holiday Inn in Minanagua, Nicaragua. Monterrosa was knocked down in rounds 1 and 2.

On 17 November 12, 2012, Gonzalez defeated 22 year old Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada (26-1, 20 KOs) at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in an entertaining unanimous decision. This was the second time Gonzalez was fighting in California and the third time in the United States. The judges scored it (118-110, 116-112 twice) all in favour for Gonzalez. On May 25, Gonzalez stopped Colombian Ronald Barrera (30-11-2, 18 KOs) in five rounds at Polideportivo España, Managua, Nicaragua. Referee Onofre Ramirez stopped the fight in round 5 after Barrera was knocked down.

On September 21, 2013 he defeated Francisco Rodríguez, Jr. by TKO in the 7th round. He then defeated Mexicans Oscar Blanquet, Juan Kantun and Philippine Juan Purisima, taking his professional record to 39-0, with 33 wins coming by way of knockout.

González defeated Akira Yaegashi (20-3, 10 KOs) via ninth-round TKO on September 5, 2014 at the Yoyogi #2 Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan to win the Lineal, WBC and The Ring Flyweight titles, becoming a boxing triple champion. Yaegashi was knocked down in rounds 3 and 9. Referee Michael Griffin stopped the fight after a final uppercut to Yaegashi. At the time of stoppage the three judges had the fight (80-71 & 79-72 twice) in favour of Gonzalez.

González retained the titles against Rocky Fuentes on November 22, 2014 via sixth-round TKO. Gonzalez fought Valentin Leon in a non-title bout on February 28, 2015, Gonzalez won via a 3rd round TKO. Gonzalez defeated Mexico's Edgar Sosa (51-8, 30 KOs) at The Forum, in Inglewood, California on HBO World Championship Boxing via a 2nd round TKO. Sosa was down 3 times in round 2. Sosa made no effort to try to get up after the third knockdown.

Gonzalez defeated 34 year old American Brian Viloria (36-4, 22 KO's) at Madison Square Garden in New York City via a 9th round TKO to retain his World titles. Gonzalez was ahead on all 3 judges scorecards (78-73 twice, 79-72) before the knockdown and also knocked Viloria down in the 3rd round.

Gonzalez defeated 30 year old Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo (16-2, 14 KOs) on April 23, 2016 at The Forum, Inglewood, California on a co-feature of World Middlewight title bout between Golovkin vs. Wade. Gonzalez won via unanimous decision ending his ten-fight stoppage streak. Judges scored the bout (120-108) and (119-109) twice. Gonzalez landed 360 of 1,132 (32%) total punches while Arroyo landed 193 of 711 (27%) of his total punches.

K2 Promotions announced on July 14, González will move up to 115 pounds to challenge Carlos Cuadras (35-0-1, 27 KOs) for his WBC Super Flyweight title on September 10, 2016 at The Forum in Inglewood in a bid to become Nicaragua's first ever 4-weight world champion. The fight will be part of a HBO split-site telecast on which K2 stablemate and unified middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin will defend against welterweight titlist Kell Brook at the O2 Arena in London. That night, HBO will have live coverage of Cuadras-Gonzalez along with a replay of Golovkin-Brook.

González has two children and lives in Managua, Nicaragua. He has stated that although he fights for honour and glory, the main reason is to provide for his family. He is a practicing Christian and a publicly open supporter of the FSLN political group in Nicaragua.