By Reynaldo 'Toto Master' Sanchez
Light heavyweight contender Yunieski Gonzalez (17-2, 13KO) relaunched his career at the Double Tree Hotel at the Miami Airport Convention Center.
Gonzalez demolished Jackson Junior (21-7, 19 KO) in the round. He dropped Jackson three times before the referee stopped the fight. Junior fought another Cuban light heavyweight in Umberto Savigne back in 2013. Savigne stopped Junior in four rounds, but the fight was later changed to a no-contest when Savigne tested positive for a banned substance.
Gonzalez reached the highest point of his career when last July 25 he lost a controversial decision to Jean Pascal in a war that was televised by HBO from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. A few months later, Gonzalez lost a hard-fought decision to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Shabransky in December.
The defeat to Shabransky led to changes with Team Gonzalez - as his longtime trainer, Orlando Cuellar, was replaced by Pedro Diaz, one of the most prestigious technicians, who has designed a new plan of work for the boxer.
"HBO wants Yunieski back, but his team has decided to have this fight before returning to the big stage, '' said Michael Luzbet, one of the managers of the fighter. "We want him to feel the love of his people and that will serve as momentum and give him more time to correct any mistakes.''
"We're looking at this card as a new starting point in the career of Yunieski, but we wanted an opponent of a certain level and Junior meets that requirement.''
Diaz has promised that everyone will see a new Gonzalez.
"I could say that they will see a different Yunieski, but I prefer to keep quiet and let people draw their own conclusions, '' Pedro Diaz said. " I will regain lost ground and show everyone that he is still an elite fighter ."
