An almost certain Hall of Fame career doesn’t happen overnight.

Over the course of almost nine years, Roman Gonzalez made his happen with a flair that marked him as special by hardcore fight fans from the moment he tore through Yutaka Niida for his first belt at 105 lbs. There was something different about Gonzalez, so different that it forced the world to take notice in a way they often don’t so low on the scale.

What wasn’t different was the inevitable: no matter how good, no matter how strong the run, almost every fighter falls. In September 2017, hoping to avenge a controversial first loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Gonzalez fell hard and was stopped for the first time.

For Gonzalez, the time in the sun may already be behind him. It might already be over. Since those two losses he’s fought only twice, working through the death of his longtime trainer and a knee injury that required surgery and extended time away.

But Gonzalez doesn’t know if it’s over yet and neither do we. Not for sure. Neither does WBA 115 lb. titlist Khalid Yafai. Saturday in Texas (DAZN, 8 PM EST) on the undercard of Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas, everyone will find out together.

For Yafai, it’s the kind of name and quality opponent he has yet to see in his title reign. Gonzalez, since the first Sor Rungvisai fight has been noticeably slower and really since the McWilliams Arroyo fight at flyweight has been more hittable and prone to swell on contact. He’s still a hard night against the right foes and dangerous puncher. Even an older Gonzalez is a step up from the likes of Luis Concepcion, Sho Ishida, or David Carmona.

Can Gonzalez step up and return to the title scene?  

Let’s get into it.

Stats and Stakes

Khalid Yafai

Age: 30

Title: WBA super flyweight (2016-Present, 5 defenses)

Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’4

Weight: 114 ¾ lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hails from: Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom

Record: 26-0, 15 KO

Rankings: #4 (TBRB, Ring, ESPN, BoxRec), #5 (Boxing Monthly)

Record in Title Fights: 6-0, 1 KO

Last Five Opponents: 122-15-10 (.864)

Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Cristofer Rosales W8; Luis Concepcion UD12

Vs.

Roman Gonzalez

Age: 32

Titles: None

Previous Titles: WBA Minimumwieght (2008-10, 3 Defenses); WBA Light Flyweight (2011-13, 5 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB/Ring/WBC World Flyweight (2014-16, 4 Defenses); WBC super flyweight (2016-17)

Height: 5’3  

Weight: 114 ½ lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hails from: Managua, Nicaragua 

Record: 48-2, 20 KO, 1 KOBY

Press Rankings: #5 (TBRB, BoxRec), #6 (Ring, ESPN), #7 (Boxing Monthly)

Record in Major Title Fights: 15-2, 9 KO, 1 KOBY (16-2, 10 KO, 1 KOBY including interim title fights)

Last Five Opponents: 159-18-7 (.883)

Current/Former World Champions Faced: Yutaka Niida TKO4; Katsunari Takayama UD12; Ramon Garcia KO4; Juan Francisco Estrada UD12; Francisco Rodriguez Jr. TKO7; Akira Yaegashi TKO9; Edgar Sosa TKO2; Brian Viloria TKO9; Carlos Cuadras UD12; Srisaket Sor Rungvisai L12, KO by 4; Moises Fuentes TKO5

The Case for Yafai: The defending titlist is the taller, fresher fighter in this one. There just aren’t the same kind of miles on him. Yafai can be a smart counter puncher, reacting well to opponents who throw at him one a time. Yafai will have chances to show those skills off early if Gonzalez takes time to warm to the task. Yafai is typically pretty comfortable coming forward and staying in range so the trick will be to halt offensive outbursts, move just enough, and force Gonzalez to reset. Yafai hasn’t been a huge puncher, though he’s shown respectable pop at time. That’s not what matters for him. If he can keep Gonzalez from getting into a rhythm, and get his jab home to start puffing up the eyes of Gonzalez, it will make it easier to land the sort of looping overhands and straight rights that are his bread and butter. Also look for the left to the body from Yafai. It’s not his best punch but it’s one he tends to land well and could help in containing Gonzalez.

The Case for Gonzalez: While slightly the smaller man, Gonzalez nearly matches Yafai in reach and that could matter if he gets his jab on track. His jab is usually just there to find the range for combinations and Gonzalez still throws those as textbook as anyone in the sport. They might not flow as quickly but in his last two fights we’ve seen a slower Gonzalez creating more leverage on his right hand. Gonzalez still works in higher volume than most fighters, and throws more than Yafai fight to fight, so expect to see him gradually try to establish a pace that lets him work his game. Yafai can sometimes be a little stiff, forcing shots from wider arcs than the short left hooks and right hands of Gonzalez. If Gonzalez can time Yafai, the chances to land, in close and in multiple, will be there as the fight wears on.     

The Pick: Three years ago the pick here would have been Gonzalez without much thought. Yafai is a solid professional but he’s not shown quite the form to put him there with the best of Gonzalez’s foes. This is 2020 and, while only 32, Gonzalez’s pressuring, exacting style was never going to mark him an ageless wonder of the ring. It doesn’t mean he can’t win here. He’s still more fluid than Yafai and has an edge in experience he can employ assuming he reacts well to early contact. The head says the fresher man should win here but the heart says Gonzalez has a few more good nights against the right foes. Gonzalez isn’t likely to be the best of the best again but he should have enough wrinkles to win a fun fight here and create another big opportunity before the year is out.             

Rold Picks 2020: 4-3

Additional Picks

Mikey Garcia Dec Jessie Vargas

Julio Cesar Martinez TKO Jay Harris

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com