Avila Perspective, Chap. 88: Chocolatito, Marcos Caballero and Mikey

When Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez regained the WBA super flyweight world title via knockout last Saturday, you might have felt a collective vibration of glee from those whose lives this humble warrior has touched.

It was a momentous occasion.

No one was happier than Marcos Caballero who began training Gonzalez after his last loss. He was in the corner when Gonzalez defeated Khalid Yafai to reclaim a world title for the first time in 36 months. It was a task that the two planned for more than 36 months.

“He (Gonzalez) did everything perfectly,” said Marcos Caballero, via telephone on Wednesday.

It took a while, but the former pound for pound king returned to the throne. For almost three years he held no title and the world seemed to pass him by. It was only a desert mirage.

Between September 2009 when Gonzalez defeated Japan’s Yutaka Niida for the WBA minimum weight title, until March 2017, when he lost the WBC super flyweight title to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the Nicaraguan warrior had held some form of title.

Seldom can a former champion reclaim a world title, especially years later.

Gonzalez’s journey has been a long but seldom traveled trip that began when he was signed by Teiken Promotions years ago. Rumors had emerged before the Great Recession about a Nicaraguan boxer that might be one of those special fighters.

The first time Gonzalez fought in America was at Pomona, California on the LA County Fairgrounds on April 2012. Curiosity had stretched its arm from Nicaragua to Southern California about the Nicaraguan with tremendous fighting ability. It was a blessing to hear he was coming to this former farming community.

Opposing Chocolatito that night eight years ago was a Mexican southpaw named Ramon Hirales who had won the WBO light flyweight world title a year earlier, but lost it to Donnie Nietes by decision. He was a capable and experienced fighter.

A crowd of Nicaraguans arrived at the Pomona Fairgrounds that night carrying blue and white flags and cheering as they entered the exhibition hall that was housing the boxing card. Other boxers on that card included Jessie Magdaleno.

That night Chocolatito walked into the ring to defend the WBA light flyweight title and exhibited boxing skills and a controlled ferocity seldom seen. He dominated Hirales and floored him twice in the fourth round to win by knockout and send the Nicaraguan fans cheering and shouting through the night.

In immediate fashion Chocolatito later won flyweight and super flyweight world titles while battling superb opposition such as Brian Viloria and Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada and Carlos Cuadras.

But the victory tour ended when he met Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai for the WBC super flyweight title in New York City. He lost a close and disputed decision. Six months later they met again at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles and the Thai strongman brutally knocked out Gonzalez in the fourth round on September 2017.

Fans cried and critics were shocked. Many felt it was the end of Chocolatito’s career though he returned a year later with a victory.

Marcos

Like any fighter who suffers defeat for the first time, Chocolatito looked for improvement and how to achieve it. He chose Southern California’s Marcos Caballero to become his trainer.

Based in the Coachella Valley area, the long-time trainer had worked with dozens of fighters for decades. Among those he worked with are the brothers Antonio and Julio Diaz. Perhaps his most prized pupil was his own son Randy Caballero, a former bantamweight world champion who suffered a debilitating leg injury.

Chocolatito had visited the Coachella gym years earlier and liked what he saw. It also didn’t hurt that Marcos Caballero is of Nicaraguan ancestry.

“I had been with him (Chocolatito) but not training him before,” said Caballero. “I started a year and a half ago.”

After suffering two losses Gonzalez looked to Caballero and the two sat down and analyzed what happened and what improvements could be made.

Caballero studied film and what was needed to rekindle that gear that led to four division world titles. He discovered a few things and also those elements that had disappeared. The change was immediate.

“That’s the old Chocolatito. What he did is put everything together. After the loss he was waiting for their combinations and trying to figure them out,” said Caballero. “Now he’s back and he’s fresher.”

Caballero used youngsters to spar with the veteran with multiple world championship belts and was criticized. But the intent was to keep Chocolatito fresh.

“We didn’t want to leave everything in training camp with sparring,” said Caballero. “That’s why you saw him fresher.”

Last weekend in Frisco, Texas the fans got to see exactly what made Chocolatito one of the finest prizefighters in the world, pound for pound, as he pounded and battered England’s Khalid Yafai for nine rounds and eventually won by stoppage.

Fans and critics had thought Gonzalez was finished as a world title contender and were shocked to see they were wrong.

“We were able to bring him back and become the old Chocolatito and he did. It was a perfect opponent,” Caballero said. “That’s the old Chocolatito, his feet are moving and once you get into range, he won’t stop punching.”

Once again Chocolatito holds the world title and, for once, Caballero gets recognition for his work.

“Nobody believed in him,” said Caballero who trained Gonzalez for his last three fights. “I’m happy for him and I’m happy for me. That’s a dream of every coach.”

Mikey Garcia

The main event saw Mikey Garcia systematically defeat Jessie Vargas with his blend of accurate punching and prove he can truly compete in the welterweight division. Were there any doubts?

Immediately after the fight Garcia was asked if Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao could be a potential target?

“Yes,” Garcia replied.

Responses on social media were immediate and mostly derisive, but the fact remains that Garcia is not your average prizefighter. He’s reminiscent of Juan Manuel Marquez or Roberto Duran in that size doesn’t matter, but timing and skills truly do.

Open your eyes and watch a special fighter as Garcia continues to establish his legacy as one of the top fighters of this era. Losing to Errol Spence Jr. only proved that a speedy, taller southpaw fighter was not a style for him. Maybe not for anybody at this time. Garcia continues to be one of the special fighters today. Enjoy it and learn.

Fights to Watch (Pacific Coast time)

Fri. Telemundo 11:35 p.m. Armando Torres (25-18) vs Pinky Alejo  (25-6-1)

Sat. ESPN+ 2 p.m. Danny Dignum (12-0) vs Alfredo Meli (17-0-1)

Sat. DAZN  2 p.m. Scott Quigg (35-2-2) vs Jono Carroll (17-1-1)

Sat. FOX 5 p.m. Adam Kownacki (20-0) vs Robert Helenius (29-3)

Sat. Facebook Watch 7:30 p.m. Oscar Duarte (18-1-1) vs Andres Garcia (13-2-1).

Photo credit: Ed Mulholland / Matchroom USA

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