By Jake Donovan
Photo (c) Will Hart/HBO
It was around this time last year when many begun to dismiss Jhonny Gonzalez as a has-been. At 25 years of age and only seven years into his career, the Mexican boxer-puncher had suffered his second knockout loss in a span of 11 months, resurrecting the career of Gerry Penalosa while his own stock was severely plummeting.
Fast-forward 51 weeks later. Gonzalez’ career isn’t quite as over as oh so many once believed - not even close, in fact. Fighting for the fifth time since last summer’s loss to Gerry Penalosa, Gonzalez returns to the ring tonight when he faces fringe contender Yogli Herrera.
The bout airs live from the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate (Friday, 8PM ET/PT).
There was a time when Gonzalez (38-6, 32KO) wasn’t viewed as a fighter who even had the potential to become a has-been. A staple of the now-defunct Boxeo de Oro series on HBO Latino, “El Raton” quickly developed a reputation as a knockout artist with little regard for defense or boxing skills.
That changed in late 2005, thanks to his impressive demolition of then-bantamweight titlist Ratanachai Sor Vorapin, a seasoned pro who had only been stopped once in 73 bouts heading into their contest. Gonzalez tore through the Thai fighter as if it were a sparring session, scoring three knockdowns before putting him away for good in the seventh round to win his first – and to date, only - major title.
It was his next two bouts in which Gonzalez’ career would receive a major boost.
Appearing on the televised undercard of the first fight between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas, Gonzalez put the final nail in the coffin of the long and storied career of Mark Johnson, stopping the faded former two-division champion in eight rounds. Three months later, Gonzalez proved to the world that a boxer existed within, showing off his skills in outlasting Fernando Montiel en route to a split decision on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.
Things were going so well, that his handlers decided, why not move up four pounds and take on the world’s very best super bantamweight in Israel Vazquez. For six rounds, it looked to be a brilliant plan; Gonzalez scored two knockdowns and built up a massive lead on the scorecards. The question wasn’t if he could win, but at what point Vazquez would eventually say to hell with it and throw in the towel.
That moment never came. Instead, Vazquez exhibited the same fighting heart that would later be on display in three wars with Rafael Marquez. Without a win over Gonzalez, there would be no thrillogy of which to speak. But a seventh round knockdown dramatically turned the tide in Vazquez’ favor, never looking back until Gonzalez’ recently hired trainer Oscar Suarez rescued his fighter in the tenth, following his second knockdown.
The loss was a heartbreaker, not to mention ending a 19-fight win streak, but was by no means the end of his career. Vazquez was – and remains – among the world’s best fighters, and Gonzalez still had his bantamweight belt in tow. Only that would change two fights later, when Gerry Penalosa rallied back from a deficit on the scorecards to knock him out with a body shot. With a single punch, one career was resurrected, the other on shaky ground.
It was there his career appeared to remain even in winning his first fight back, a lackluster 10-round decision over Jose Angel Beranza in an intended confidence builder on Telefutura last November. Gonzalez has since righted his ship, however: his last three bouts have lasted a total of nine rounds.
His last two bouts aired on Telefutura, both showing perhaps the very best available version of Jhonny Gonzalez in quite some time. Edel Ruiz received a boxing lesson for two rounds before Gonzalez was determined to make him a part of the furniture, flooring him three times in forcing a 3rd round stoppage.
Six weeks later, it was Mauricio Pastrana’s turn to get some. The faded former titlist was coming off of a knockout loss to Celestino Caballero, but had previously scored his biggest win in years with a major upset stoppage win over previously unbeaten Antonio Escalante. The plan for Team Gonzalez was to eventually challenge Caballero, either in late 2008 or early 2009. Thus, it was decided that no better way to build up anticipation than to present comparison performances against common opponents.
Gonzalez did his part, effectively alternating between boxer and brawler in systematically breaking down Pastrana before taking him out in four rounds.
With another title shot well within reach, Gonzalez looks to make it five straight tonight. Though nothing’s a given, you have to like his chances against Colombian challenger Yogli Herrera. His record is TV friendly – 15-4 (10KO), though his 15 victims collectively boast a total of six wins. The only fighters he’s faced with winning records have resulted in four checks in the L column.
Tonight should make it five. Not only is it Herrera’s first time fighting in the states, Gonzalez represents the absolute best he’s ever faced. Worse, he’s catching him at the wrong time – about 51 weeks too late, if you ask most in the industry.
What a difference a year makes.
