The Forum, Los Angeles, California - WBC flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez (45-0, 38 KOs) from Managua, Nicaragua went the distance for the first time since 2012, winning a twelve round unanimous decision over McWilliams Arroyo (16-3, 13 KOs) of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The scores were 119-109, 119-109, 120-108.
It was the first time Gonzalez had gone the distance since a hard-fought win over Juan Francisco Estrada in 2012. Gonzalez had stopped his last ten opponents.
They started trading with jabs at the start. A slow start for Gonzalez who was taking his time to study his opponent. Arroyo had a very good round with his jab and punches that followed afterwards. Gonzalez was picking his shots for the most part, but not landing anything of note. Both fighters were opening more in the second and trading big punches. Gonzalez was letting his hands fly but many of the shots were landing on the gloves.
Gonzalez was continuing to come forward in the third, throwing with both hands to the head and body. Arroyo was doing his best to counter back with punches of his own. Gonzalez was starting to do real damage when trapping Arroyo against the ropes. Arroyo was landing better counters at the start of the fourth. Gonzalez was walking through the punches and continued to throw his combinations without pause. In a very odd occurrence, the sole on the bottom of Arroyo's right shoe came off.
Arroyo was doing better in the fifth, landing some hard shots to the head and body but unable to slow Gonzalez down. Gonzalez was coming and throwing more punches with both hands. They both started swinging hard at the start of the sixth. Gonzalez was coming in very strong until the final minute, where Arroyo started moving and landing calculated punches in bunches.
Gonzalez was throwing hard combinations at the start of the seventh. The bombs were incoming hard and fast. Arroyo was still moving and throwing but not able to stop Gonzalez's incoming charge. Some noticeable swelling on the left side of Gonzalez's face. Gonzalez continued to throw hard punches over and over in the eight. Arroyo was doing his best to stay away and tie Gonzalez up to stop the incoming barrage.
They were trading hooks and jabs at the start of the ninth. The pace slowed down a little. Gonzalez was being more calculated and at times Arroyo was coming forward and landing some punches. The action was pretty close with neither having a big edge to the ninth bell. Gonzalez went back to work at the start of the tenth, throwing and landing some hard shots. Arroyo was on the run for most of the round with Gonzalez throwing hard combinations.
Gonzalez continued to apply pressure in the eleventh. Arroyo was trying to stand his ground with hard shots to the head and body. Gonzalez seemed to slow down but then exploded in the final twenty seconds with hard combinations. Both boxers were throwing their best shots in the twelfth, with Gonzalez doing more damage with his connects.