ROMAN GONZALEZ vs FRANCISCO ROSAS

One of boxing’s outstanding smaller fighters is in action in Mexico on Saturday when Roman Gonzalez, the unbeaten Nicaraguan, defends his WBA 105-pound title against Francisco Rosas.

Gonzalez, only 21, has the poise and maturity of a veteran. He looked sensational when destroying Yutaka Niida to win the title in Japan, and this will be his first defence.

Rosas, 28, is the local fighter in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, and the crowd support will no doubt be inspirational. He is tough and aggressive and has never been stopped. His only loss in his last eight fights came on a disputed decision in Japan against Ken Nakajima, whom he floored. He has also won a fight in Japan, and in 2004 he was very competitive in a unanimous but close loss against the highly skilled Edgar Sosa.

I understand that Rosas is the type of fighter who keeps coming forward, hooking and swinging, very hard to discourage.

Gonzalez, though, looks a special type of fighter. He seems to have it all — speed, skill, power — and he has the look of a winner.

I am sure that Rosas will give it a great try, steaming in and letting the punches fly, but Gonzalez appears to be a much higher-calibre fighter. I am expecting a convincing win for Gonzalez and I think he could even become the first to stop Rosas, maybe in the last few rounds, after a breaking-down process.