Arnold Gonzalez is a 28-year-old welterweight who is refreshing, in that he is aware of the place he desires to go and the way he desires to get there. The proprietor of what he describes as “:an educated left hand,” he additionally owns himself, which is uncommon in boxing today.
An enterprising younger man who is the consummate self-starter, he strikes forward in his skilled profession on Thursday, July 29 at Sony Hall as he is featured on the newest card introduced by Boxing Insider Promotions.
Gonzalez grew up in Harlem, a graduate of A. Phillip Randolph High School, he contemplated faculty, and was accepted at John Jay College, with a profession in legal justice in thoughts.
However, the boxing bug bit him, and so he bypassed the collegiate life. Fortunately, he was in a position to make his mark in a giant means. Gonzalez was a New York Golden Gloves finalist in 2015 after which went increased, profitable the National PAL (Police Athletic League) match, together with the Sugar Bert nationwide match, in 2018.
He picked up a sponsorship from the New York Athletic Club, a prestigious group which numbers a few of the most distinguished residents of the Big Apple amongst its members.
He additionally acquired concerned within the health business, and typical of his angle towards most issues, he gave it a balls-out effort, establishing a base by way of which he gained some monetary independence.
Gonzalez was trying to increase his horizons in preparation for turning professional, and towards that finish he directed himself to Southern California, and particularly to the now-legendary Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
That, of course, is the area of Freddie Roach, and when Gonzalez walked in on Christmas day, 2018, he was looking for expertise. He really acquired greater than he bargained for. On this explicit vacation, the gymnasium was empty, apart from Roach, Gonzalez and its most distinguished resident, Manny Pacquiao. The eight-division champ was getting himself prepared for a bout with Adrien Broner, and as Gonzalez defined to Roach that he had a method like Broner’s, Roach determined to place him proper right into a sparring session.
Gonzalez admits it was “a little nerve-racking” to search out himself within the ring with a dwelling legend earlier than his skilled profession had even gotten began, however on reflection, he calls it “the best Christmas present I could ever have.”
The sparring was full of life, sufficient that when Gonzalez was prepared to depart city, Roach satisfied him to remain. So he additionally helped Pacquiao put together for his fights towards Keith Thurman and Yordenis Ugas. And on this course of, Gonzalez relocated himself to Southern California, the place he presently trains below Julien Chua. .
PacMan additionally used his affect to get Gonzalez’s professional profession rolling. That profession started in February 2019 with a win over Stacey Anderson in Nebraska. He’s additionally fought 4 instances on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, competing on PBC-promoted playing cards.
Gonzalez’s lineage is from Ecuador, and he fought a number of instances there as nicely, together with a fifth-round stoppage of Jose Luis Prieto to win the UBO (Universal Boxing Organization) Intercontinental welterweight championship, a title he defended final December with a win over Jesus Bravo.
One of the issues that is distinctive about Gonzalez is the diploma to which he has gone about directing his own profession. He is self-managed, and that is in no way an accident. It is, for this second at the very least, probably the most environment friendly means for him to do enterprise.
He understands that it is tough getting promoters to get on the cellphone, for instance, and discuss on to a fighter, and not using a buffer (i.e., a supervisor or an agent) in between. But “all it takes is one conversation with them to know where my head is at.”
“Boxing is a business that’s all about networking,” Gonzalez says. “It’s such a small world that you’re going to wind up running into everybody again.”
That was precisely the circumstance that led him into the July 29 card. Gonzalez had, at one time, sparred with Larry Goldberg on the Mendez Gym in New York. A couple of years later, as Goldberg grew to become a promoter with his Boxing Insider Promotions, Gonzalez went to a present at Sony Hall, purchased a seat within the entrance row, and re-introduced himself to Goldberg.
And so right here we’re.
Precisely the place this can all finish for Gonzalez is anybody’s guess. He says he has a large clientele of private health pupils across the Los Angeles space. He has plans to proceed managing himself; one of his command choices is that he’ll ultimately drop from 147 to 140 kilos. At the best time, he’ll resolve upon a staff with which he’ll proceed to increased ranges. He expects that in some unspecified time in the future in 2025, he’ll be within the prime ten and able to problem for a world title.
Various issues should fall into place. But would you guess towards that taking place? WE wouldn’t.
Tickets for the June 29 present are priced at $95, $125, $200 and $325 and can be found by way of TicketWeb. For details about tables, contact [email protected]. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with first bell slated for 7:30 PM.
Established in 1997 as a premier boxing information and data vacation spot, Boxing Insider has, over the course of the final ten months, transitioned into the promotional enterprise. This will probably be Boxing Insider’s fifth skilled boxing promotion.
Sony Hall is positioned at 235 W forty sixth St. in Manhattan, on the backside of the Paramount Hotel, straight throughout from the Imperial Theater.
This occasion will stream freed from cost on BoxingInsider.com
