.jpg)
Joshua Franco is now in position to land a dream fight for his next ring appearance.
Or at least an upgrade in title status.
The current top-rated junior bantamweight is the latest benefactor of the current efforts by the World Boxing Association (WBA) to reduce the number of titlists within its organization. Franco defended a secondary version of the WBA 115-pound crown following a repeat win over Australia’s Andrew Moloney (21-2, 14KOs; 1ND) in the final leg of their bizarre trilogy, which came this past Saturday at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. San Antonio’s Franco went up 2-0 with one No-Decision in their three-fight set, with aspirations of moving on to bigger game.
As previously reported by BoxingScene.com, Franco is specifically targeting the division’s elite—namely lineal/WBA “Super”/WBC champ Juan Francisco Estrada and former four-division champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. The WBA is prepared to assist in that journey.
“First, the World Boxing Association would like to congratulate you on your recent victory vs. Andrew Moloney last August 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Carlos Chavez, chairman of the WBA Championship Committee stated to Franco and Golden Boy Promotions executive matchmaker Robert Diaz via official letter, a copy of which has been obtained by BoxingScene.com. “We are sure you will be a champion of many defenses of your title.
“This letter is to inform you that you have become the mandatory contender of the winner of the Juan F Estrada vs Roman Gonzalez Super Championship rematch title fight to be held on October 16, 2021.”
The rubber match between Mexico’s Estrada (41-3, 27KOs) and Nicaragua’s Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) has yet to be formally announced. Promoter Eddie Hearn has for weeks teased the likelihood of the bout headlining an October 16 DAZN show from a location to be determined, likely in Southern California.
The winner will clearly have a hard choice to make regarding next steps. In the event that the WBA-ordered title consolidation clash is honored, the challenger in waiting promises a night to remember in the ring.
“I’ll be more than ready,” vows Franco.
Franco’s win over Moloney marks the second defense of his WBA “World” title, which he won in a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Moloney last June at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. The same venue hosted their rematch, which ended after just two rounds due to Franco’s eye swelling shut in being unable to continue. An absurdly long review of the fight upheld the original in-ring ruling of a headbutt causing the injury, thus resulting in a No-Decision.
The repeat win this past weekend could likely serve as Franco’s final fight with his current title in tow. The WBA has begun a process to phase out interim and WBA “World” titles in an effort to undo years of confusion created through crowning multiple titlists within a weight division. The appointment of Franco as the mandatory to the WBA “Super” 115-pound comes on the heels of WBA “World” junior lightweight titlist Roger Gutierrez—fresh off his own trilogy win over Rene Alvarado on August 14—ordered to face interim titleholder Chris Colbert in a title consolidation clash.
The refusal by any parties to go through with such ordered bouts will result in the title being vacated, and in some cases—such as interim belts—eliminated altogether.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox