By  Ronnie Nathanielsz

In a battle of southpaws, Filipino Joebert Alvarez will battle Puerto Rico’s Jonathan “La Bomba” Gonzelez in Puerto Rico on  March 19.

The trainer of Alvarez, “Dodong” Donaire, father/trainer of WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash’ Donaire told us “I think he’ll win” referring to Alvarez who has a record of 14-1-1 with 6 knockouts.

The 24 year old Gonzalez is ranked No. 6 by the IBF with a record of 18-1-1 with 12 knockouts with the KO loss coming at the hands of former world champion Giovanni Segura by a 4th round TKO on August 17, 2013.

In his last fight, Gonzalez won a ten round split decision over Carlos Ruben Dario of Argentina on October 16, 2015 after beating Miguel Del Valle in a rematch on May 16, 2015 in Puerto Rico when Del Valle retired in the 2nd round of a scheduled ten round bout after Del Valle dropped an  8th round unanimous decision in their first meeting.

Gonzalez was an outstanding amateur and won two-out-of three memorable bouts with Olympian McWilliams Arroyo and was Puerto Rican national champion in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Alvarez on the other hand dropped a ten round decision to WBO/WBO flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada in Sonora, Mexico on December 6, 2014 in what Donaire felt was a somewhat controversial hometown decision.

Alvarez  won the vacant WBC Continental Americas title with a unanimous ten round decision over Juan Rivera on April 4, 2013 after earlier winning the WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight Interim title with a knockout of countryman Jerry Domogdan.

Trainer “Dodong” Donaire said Joebert who enjoys a three-inch height advantage according to boxrec.com stats, standing 5’5” , was “looking good in training” at Donaire’s Boxing and Fitness Gym in Oakland, California.