JHONNY GONZALES IS BACK ON HIS WINNING WAYS (WITH PHOTOS)
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 18 May 2008
Cabazon, CA -- Since losing his WBO bantamweight title to Gerry Penalosa at the Arco Arena at Sacramento, California, last August 11, 2007, Jhonny Gonzales has been quietly fighting his way back to an eventual title fight in the not-so-distant future.
Tonight at the Morongo Casino Resort in this desert city an hour and a half east of Los Angeles, Gonzales got back on his winning ways again. His spectacular victory over Mauricio Pastrana was his fourth in a row since that fateful night at the Arco Arena when while leading on the judges? cards, Gonzales crumbled to the canvas from a well-placed left shot to the liver delivered by Gerry Penalosa.
Gonzales KO?d Pastrana on the 4th round of a 10-round bout beamed live via TeleFutura Solo Boxeo Tecate. It was not a pretty win but it got the job done and gave Gonzales another notch in his victory column.
Not that to take anything from the Gonzales victory, but Pastrana is the very same guy Diosdado Gabi KO?d in 1 round at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas last August 19, 2006.
However, the Pastrana that faced Gonzales today is not ?the same? Pastrana that faced Gabi two years ago. Tonight, he was tough, ready and determined to give Gonzales all he can take. And, true enough he gave Gonzales a very good fight. In fact he had sneaked in a few punches that got the attention of Gonzales.
In the end however, the barrage of combinations made possible by his longer reach eventually gave Gonzales breathing room to finally deliver the punches he waited all night to throw. Gonzales dropped Pastrana with a strong right hook followed by a left hand upper cut to the face half way on the 4th round.
Pastrana beat the count and continued to fight. But it was obvious he was fighting from the heart. He had no more gas after being dropped by Gonzales.
The end came in a neutral corner with Gonzales pummeling Pastrana repeatedly forcing the referee to intervene and stop the fight just before round 4 ended.
Tonight?s fight card at the Morongo Casino Resort was a promotion of the Golden Boy Promotions.
The rest of the fight results:
Antonio Escalante of El Paso, Texas on the co-main event for TV TKO?d David Martinez of Albuquerque, New Mexico at the 2:18 minute of round three.
Michael Franco of Riverside, CA remained unbeaten at 11-0 (7KO) beating Benito Abraham of Guerrero, Mexico via KO in round 2.
Anthony Villareal of Riverside, CA won via 4 round UD over Jaime Gutierrez of Los Mochis, Mexico
Javier Castro of Juarez, Mexico won via 1st round KO of Ramon Guevarra of Santiago, Dominican Republic
Eduardo Escobedo of Mexico City won via TKO in the 1st round over Javier Cintron of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
In the curtain raiser, Daniel Cervantes of Oxnard, Ca beat Alex Perez of Miami,. Florida via a 4 round UD
Top photo: Former world champion Jhonny Gonzales (R) connects with a right straight to Pastrana's jaw in this bit of action during the duo's fight Friday night at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA.
Pastrana down with his pants on the canvas.
The referee raises Gonzales' hand for victory.
Golden Boy PR man Ramiro Gonzales interviews Jhonny Gonzales after the bout.
Photos by Dr. Ed de la Vega.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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