“If you avoid your mandatory again, how will you look at yourself in the mirror and say that you are the true champion, Estrada?“

By Thainchai Pisitwuttinan and Damrong Simakajornboon

Former two-time WBC super flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai talks to Fightnews.com® to weigh-in on his planned mandatory world title challenge against WBC/WBA super featherweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada, rumors of Estrada-Chocolatito 3, and discusses Chocolatito’s next steps.

You have seen the fight between Estrada and Chocolatito. Now that the unification fight is done. You are the mandatory challenger of Estrada. What is your plan?

I want to fight Estrada next. It was promised to me that I will get to fight the winner of Estrada and Chocolatito by August or September this year. I will have trilogy with Estrada next. Then, after Estrada, I will have the trilogy with Chocolatito if the fans want to see it.

There are rumors of Estrada vs Chocolatito 3, and Estrada mentioned it after the fight. What do you think of that?

I have been the mandatory challenger of Estrada for over a year now, so he should fight me next. If Estrada does not take the mandatory fight against me, it can only mean that he is scared of fighting me. I cannot take it any other way.

His team asked for the unification fight against Chocolatito, and they already got what they wanted. They said they would have Estrada to fight me right after the Chocolatito fight. They should respect their own promises and fight me. If Estrada avoids his mandatory fight against me again, I really don’t think he can have the dignity as a true world champion. Will you be able to carry the world title belts around, acting like a champ, but being scared of fighting your mandatory challenger? Will you really be able to look at yourself in the mirror in the morning, knowing in your heart that you are avoiding your mandatory, and telling yourself that you are the world champion? If you avoid me again, then all you are doing is lying to yourself.

I am not saying that Estrada is a coward or a bad man. We all know he is a warrior for what he did in the ring all these years. But he has to prove that he is the true champion by following the obligation and fulfilling his promises. If he takes his mandatory against me next, I will give him all my respect as the true champion. But if he avoids it again this time, it is just not possible for me to give him that respect.

I don’t know, it might all just be rumors about Estrada fighting Chocolatito again. Estrada said in the ring after the fight that he will look into the mandatory fight against me. I hope Estrada and his team will proceed with what they promised me earlier, which is to fight me next. If that is the case, as I said, I will give El Gallo and his team much respect as the true champions.

Why do you want to fight Estrada next? Why do you think he should fight you next?

I have been his mandatory for over a year now. I did everything I had to do to be the next opponent. I earned my rights. I deserve it. I beat Chocolatito twice when he was the #1 pound-for-pound fighter. I am the only one to beat Chocolatito convincingly and by KO. I am tied with Estrada with 1 win and 1 loss. I have been waiting patiently as the mandatory challenger. I gave Estrada and Chocolatito the opportunity to unify their titles with their promises to fight me right after. I did everything I had to do and could do. I deserve to be next.

When I was the champion, I gave both Estrada and Chocolatito their opportunities as the mandatory challengers whenever it was ordered. I did 3 mandatory fights against Chocolatito and Estrada within 2 years. Estrada has been WBC world champion for 2 years now, and he has made zero mandatory defense. Do you see the difference? How can he and his team justify that they are not avoiding the mandatory fight when he has made zero mandatory defense in 2 years while I did 3 mandatory defenses in 2 years when I was the champion?

If he avoids it again this time, it will be impossible to justify his position as the WBC world champion. He will have to vacate it. And if he vacates his title, it can only mean that he is scared of fighting me.

What would you do if Estrada vacates his WBC title?

If Estrada vacates his WBC world title, I will fight for the vacant WBC world title. I am always honored to carry the green and gold belt; it is always my dream. I will take the opportunity any day with deep gratitude. But that will not be the best scenario for the fans and for boxing. Seeing the world champion running away from his mandatory, vacating his world title, is not good for boxing fans. It is just weird.

Just to be clear, my priority is to fight Estrada next. But if he chooses to vacate his WBC world title, I will fight for the vacant title. Then people will know who the true champion is, because it will be obvious that one chases for the fight and another runs away from it.

How about Chocolatito? What should be his next step in your opinion?

I always respect Chocolatito so much. For me, he is always the #1 pound-for-pound champion. However, I think Chocolatito should not rush back in for a direct rematch with Estrada. It is not a good idea to rush back to a direct rematch after a loss like this. Last time he did that, he lost by KO to me in the rematch. People might think that the fight looked very close, and he should be able to jump right back in and fight with Estrada again. But that will not be good for Chocolatito; it will not put him in an advantageous position.

It is always difficult mentally for the fighter to take a loss in such an important fight, especially for such a great champion like him. You put your heart and soul and your everything into the fight, you never think about losing, and when you lose, it hits you so hard mentally. Chocolatito needs to take time to recover mentally before jumping right back in.

I understand why Chocolatito’s fans and team might want the immediate rematch to get the revenge against Estrada. You want to see him be the champion again right now, but that is not good for him. Don’t rush it. If you push him to come back too soon, you will just set him up for another bad loss. You should just give him time to recover mentally and physically. Maybe take an easier comeback fight before fighting the champion. I am speaking from experience. I feel much better now after a few tune-up fights, mentally and physically comparing to when I just lost by close decision to Estrada. I feel stronger than ever, and I am extremely motivated. Chocolatito can benefit from taking a bit of time to come back too.

As I said, after Estrada, I will give Chocolatito the only trilogy that he needs to complete his legendary career – the one against me. I want to fight Chocolatito at his best, when he is hundred percent motivated and ready mentally and physically.