By Keith Idec

The California State Athletic Commission will require Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez to pass new neurological examinations before it’ll lift his indefinite suspension.

La Prensa, a newspaper based in Gonzalez’s native Nicaragua, reported the CSAC’s requirement Wednesday. Gonzalez passed neurological exams in the immediate aftermath of his brutal, fourth-round knockout defeat to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in their rematch September 9 at StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Boxers always are at least temporarily suspended following losses by knockout or technical knockout in the United States.

As an additional precautionary measure, the CSAC has ordered Gonzalez to pass new tests before it’ll end his indefinite suspension and make him eligible to receive a license to box in the United States again. The former four-division champion’s suspension will be recognized by all regulators affiliated with the Association of Boxing Commissions until the CSAC ends it.

The CSAC informed La Prensa in an email that Gonzalez’s neurological tests must be performed in the United States. Gonzalez hasn’t returned to the U.S. because he hasn’t been able to obtain a work visa.

Carlos Blandon, Gonzalez’s manager, told ESPN Deportes last week that if Gonzalez’s visa issue is resolved, he’ll return to the ring at some point in September.

“Due to the instability that exists in Nicaragua, we have not been able to get the visa for Roman,” Blandon told ESPN Deportes. “We had the appointment on April 30. It was canceled. Then, on May 11, and it was canceled. The last one was on May 21 and it was canceled. We are waiting for that work visa because we have plans to make camp outside of Nicaragua and see if a fight will go forward in September.”

The 30-year-old Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) hasn’t fought since Sor Rungvisai dropped him twice and knocked him out in the fourth round of their immediate rematch 8½ months ago. Sor Rungvisai (45-4-1, 40 KOs) pulled off one of boxing’s biggest upsets of 2017 in their previous fight, in which he dropped Gonzalez in the first round and won a majority decision to take the WBC world super flyweight title from him in March 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Gonzalez previously was recognized as the best boxer, pound-for-pound, in the sport by numerous media outlets.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.