Jhonny Gonzalez: record, next fight and profile →
Last Thursday, World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight world champion Jhonny Gonzalez knocked out Rogers Mtagwa in two rounds to retain his title in El Paso, Texas. Earlier this month, Gonzalez was challenged by WBO super bantamweight champion Jorge Arce. Gonzalez is more than willing to accept this challenge and wants to get Arce in the ring.
For the third time in four contests, 32-year old Tanzanian Rogers Mtagwa (27-15-3, 19 KO) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania fell short in a bid for a major title belt. Across the ring, 30-year old WBC Featherweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (50-7, 44 KO) of Mexico City, Mexico, celebrated his birthday, and the coming Mexican Independence Day, in style at the County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas on Thursday night. Gonzalez had plenty to celebrate after a devastating performance, scorching Mtagwa for a second round stoppage.
What began as a typical feeling-out round between Miguel "Mickey" Roman and Antonio Meza never made it past the opening stanza. The first punch of real consequence turned out to be the one that ended the bout, a left hook to the body from Roman that put Meza down for the count. Undefeated welterweight prospect Javier Molina endured the toughest test of his career, but the 21-year old came up aces with an eight-round decision over Louisiana journeyman John Revish. Scores were 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 in their ESPN Deportes-televised opener.
There’s nothing quite like the week of a major fight, even in 2011. The anticipation might even be more so these days. As boxing has receded from the mainstream of sport over the last two decades, the chances for the game to stand neck and neck with the big boys of athletics in terms of coverage and chatter grow fewer and farther between. Fights like Wladimir Klitschko-David Haye in July, this weekend’s Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz, and November’s Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III, have to be savored because, once completed, the next event is only a hope, no imminent promise guaranteed.
Mexico's Jhonny Gonzalez, the featherweight champion of the World Boxing Council (WBC), is heading from Mexico City to El Paso, Texas, where on Thursday he defends his crown against African veteran Rogers Mtagwa. Gonzalez won the WBC featherweight crown in April of this year when he knocked out Hozumi Hasegawa in four rounds. He then made ​​his first defense against Tomas Villa in July, and now makes the second defense against Mtagwa.
Promoter Reginaldo Kuchle of Promociones del Pueblo, spoke to his boxer, WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez, regarding the challenge that was recently issued by WBO super bantamweight champ Jorge Arce. Both boxers are fighting in the month of September. If they both win, then Arce wants to challenge Gonzalez in December. Gonzalez told Kuchle that he's willing to accept that fight.
WBO super bantamweight champion Jorge "Travieso" Arce is considering another jump in weight. The Mexican fighter would like to challenge WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez in December. Arce has a rematch scheduled with South African fighter Simphiwe Nongqayi on September 24 in Mexicali.
Los Angeles - World Boxing Council (WBC) Featherweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (49-7, 43 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico puts his title, and his pride on the line as he fights on his country's Independence Day, Thursday, September 15 at the County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas as he takes on the Tanzanian slugger, Rogers Mtagwa (27-14-2, 19 KOs). The 12-round World Championship bout is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and Promociones Del Pueblo and will be broadcast live on ESPN Deportes and Televisa.
According to WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (49-7, 43KOs), his upcoming title defense against Roger Mtagwa (27-14-2, 19KOs) on September 15th in El Paso, Texas, will be televised in the United States as a special event on ESPN and carried in Mexico on Televisa. On the undercard, Antonio Escalante and Miguel "Mickey" Roman will appear in separate bouts.
The WBC has reportedly approved Rogers Mtagwa (27-14-2, 19KOs) as the next opponent for featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (49-7, 43KOs). Last weekend Mtagwa returned to ring at the Convention Center in Acapulco, Mexico, and stopped Pedro Navarrete (26-13-3, 12KOs) in the eight round. Mtagwa came back from back to back defeats to Yuriorkis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez. The is set for the tentative date of September 15th in Texas.