Jonathan Gonzalez targets other junior flyweight titleholders for unification fights
Jonathan Gonzalez fulfilled a lifelong dream of winning a world title belt. Now his next goal is to win all the belts and unify at 108 pounds.
Promoter Tuto Zabala, Jr. of All Star Boxing is attempting to lock down Gonzalez’s next fight, whether it is to face Gonzalez’s mandatory challenger, make a voluntary defense or the possibility of a world unification title fight.
Zabala is weighing all options and attempting to finalize a date.
“The best option right now for Jonathan is a voluntary title defense,” Zabala told The Ring over the weekend. “That’s what we’re attempting to finalize. It’s looking like the end of May.
“I just spoke to (promoter) Akihiko Honda (here in Japan), who I work and collaborate with and there are a few possibilities for even Gonzalez to fight in Japan. There is a possibility of a unification fight against (newly-crowned WBC titleholder) Kenshiro Teraji or an optional title defense. We should have something concrete in the next couple of days.”
Gonzalez won the WBO world junior flyweight title by defeating Elwin Soto of Mexico by split decision on October 16 in Fresno, California.
The 30-year-old has won his last three fights since losing by knockout to then-WBO flyweight titleholder Kosai Tanaka in August 2018. Gonzalez had dropped Tanaka during the fight and was up on two of the judges’ scorecards when the fight was stopped in the seventh round.
Gonzalez currently resides in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He has been promoted by All Star Boxing since 2018.
His two other defeats were against Giovani Segura in August 2013 and to Jobert Alvarez in March 2016.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
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