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Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, a former five-time world champion, has revealed his opponent for the upcoming bout on July 12 at the Alexis Arguello Arena in Managua, Nicaragua.
Gonzalez will be facing off against Rober “El Huracan” Barrera (27-5, 17 KOs), a former WBA world title challenger, in a 10-round Main Event. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+ and ESPN Knockout in Latin America.
After an 18-month break from boxing, Gonzalez is eager to shake off any ring rust. His last bout was in December 2022, in a memorable trilogy against Juan Francisco Estrada.
“This comeback is significant in my career, and I'm grateful it's happening in front of my Nicaraguan fans,” expressed Gonzalez.
On the other side, Barrera, representing Monteria, Colombia, comes from a family deeply rooted in the sport. His brother, Ronald Barrera, previously faced Gonzalez in Nicaragua and suffered defeat. Now, nearly a decade later, Rober is seeking redemption for his family.
“I feel blessed for this opportunity,” Barrera remarked. “For me, this fight is about avenging my brother's loss to ‘Chocolatito’ back in 2013."
The announcement of this thrilling matchup has generated significant buzz, drawing a large crowd of media to witness the first face-to-face meeting between the two fighters at the Alexis Arguello Arena today.