The frontrunner for 2021 fight of the year will add a third chapter to its enthralling rivalry. 

Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez are potentially slated to face off October 16 in the United States, Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn revealed in an interview with IFL.

The WBC and WBA super flyweight Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs) scored a split decision win over Gonzalez (50-3, 41 KOs) in March at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Los Angeles would likely be a frontrunner to land the trilogy. The sequel was slated for the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson but outdoor events in California were not allowed at the time, forcing the fight to stay in the Lone Star State. 

For the third fight, Hearn could again consider the “War Grounds” as a possible venue, or the Forum and Staples Center in Los Angeles if he deems the fight demands a larger arena. 

Gonzalez scored a unanimous decision win over Estrada in their original light flyweight contest in 2012 at the now-defunct Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

The rematch was more remarkable, as the two fighters stood toe-to-toe and traded a barrage of blows all night. 

Gonzalez landed 391 shots compared to 314 by Estrada. The pair threw a weight class record 2,529 punches, per Compubox. 

The fight led to questionable scores, as most boxing experts slightly skewed the contest toward Gonzalez. 

Judges scored the rematch 115-113 for Gonzalez, and 117-111 and 115-113 for Estrada.

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com