Nicaraguan Rosales in public workout

Fightnews.com

By Joe Koizumi

Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales (26-3, 17 KOs), 23, engaged in a public workout on Tuesday prior to his ambitious crack at the WBC flyweight belt against unbeaten KO artist and defending champ Daigo Higa (15-0, 15 KOs) in Yokohama, Japan, on this coming Sunday.

Photo: Boxing Beat

Though he had lost decisions to future world champ Khalid Yafai in 2015 and to Andrew Selby last year—both in UK, Rosales boasts of not having hit the deck to prove his durability.

Also, standing four inches taller than the short dynamite Daigo, he has a physical advantage on height and reach. His mother is a cousin of Roman Chocolatito Gonzales, with whom Rosales reportedly had many sparring sessions before his coming.

Higa’s manager and ex-WBA 108-pound champ Yoko Gushiken cautiously said, “Rosales is a strong challenger who knows boxing well. He may utilize his good footwork to avoid mixing up with Higa.” It will be a competitive fight in the semi-windup to the WBA 160-pound title bout between Japanese national hero Ryota Murata and Emanuele Blandamura at the Yokohama Arena.