'Bomba' Gonzalez Looks To Get Career Back On Track

By Jake Donovan

Good news has finally graced the promising career of unbeaten flyweight prospect Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez. The diminutive Boricua banger now has an opponent for his appearance this Friday as he will face Danny Flores of Mexico.

The bout will serve in a televised supporting capacity on Telemundo. The show’s headliner features featherweight contender Orlando Cruz against Jorge Pazos, topping a bill at the Civic Center in Kissimmee, Florida.

Gonzalez’ career was red-hot coming out the gate, fighting nine times in less than a year since his pro debut last April. Managerial issues have brought his progress to a crawl, having fought just once since March. This weekend’s bout restores hope in his career, now fighting for the second time in a span of just nine weeks.

“I’ve been rather frustrated with the course of my career,” Gonzalez (10-0, 9KO) recently stated. “I heard people who approached me to advise me, but they didn’t have the best intentions. They lied to me and my career came to a stop.”

All decisions in his career have fallen back into the hands of promotional company Puerto Rico Best Boxing Promotions whom –along with co-promoter Top Rank – have brought him along from the beginning. The team has circled its wagons after removing all infiltrators, with the focus now to move Gonzalez along within Top 10 contender status by this time next year.

“I want to tell to all those young fighters like me, to be alert with these (shady) people who approach them,” Gonzalez advises. If you are part of a good (promotional) company that is taking your career, there’s no reason to believe in people coming with other intentions.”

Gonzalez has won all but one fight by knockout to date, including back-to-back 2nd round stoppages in his two ring appearances this year. Flores (13-1, 10KO) represents his toughest test to date, but precisely the type of challenge the young fighter welcomes in his rising career.

The bout with Flores is scheduled for six-rounds and will most likely be shown via slight tape-delay. Telemundo traditionally airs the main event first given the 11:35PM ET start time, with the supporting bouts to follow.

Whatever time it airs, Gonzalez remains grateful that there is a fight at all of which to speak.

“I’m very happy now because I want to fight,” Gonzalez states. “I’ve kept training and I hope to continue with my goal of becoming a world champion.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter: @JakeNDaBox