Jonathan Gonzalez, The Ring’s No. 1-rated junior flyweight, has vacated his WBO title and can now marketing campaign at flyweight.
The thinning of the herd continues at junior flyweight.
Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez is the newest to desert the 108-pound division. The 33-year-old Puerto Rican southpaw has vacated his WBO junior flyweight title, the sanctioning physique formally confirmed.
The transfer got here with the peace of mind {that a} clear path can be supplied to a title shot at his new weight.
“WBO 108-[pound] World champion Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez will likely be categorised No. 1 in [the] 112-pound division,” WBO president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel confirmed.
ANOTHER RELINQUISHED 108-POUND TITLE
The transfer comes simply two weeks after Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 knockouts) abdicated his championship throne. The Ring, WBC and WBA 108-pound king vacated his alphabet titles and can now additionally marketing campaign at flyweight.
Teraji and Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 knockouts), No. 1 at 108 by The Ring, had been because of unify final April. Becoming to Gonzalez’s lengthy however irritating reign, he fell unwell two weeks previous to the multi-belt conflict and was pressured to withdraw.
Anthony Olascuaga—promoted by All Star Boxing, Inc., as is Gonzalez—was introduced in as a late alternative. Teraji gained by way of ninth-round knockout.
Gonzalez desperately tried to get the books again on the desk after his newest win. A homecoming was afforded the long-reigning WBO titlist, who outpointed fellow islander Rene Santiago on March 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Talks instantly started with Teraji, however Gonzalez’s asking worth was a non-starter in trying to reschedule the championship conflict.
A LONG, BUT STALLED, TITLE REIGN
Gonzalez defeated Elwin Soto in Oct. 2021 to win the WBO 108-pound title. Accidents, sickness and years-long wrestle to make weight slowed his reign to a crawl, nonetheless. Simply three title defenses got here throughout that interval, together with back-to-back cancelled fights in an empty 2023 marketing campaign.
The failed effort to face Teraji prompted Gonzalez’s group to safe a rust-shaker title protection. Gonzalez was because of face Gerardo Zapata, a alternative for Leyman Benavides, final October 27 in Managua, Nicaragua.
time, he went all the way in which into battle week earlier than he bailed. Sickness was as soon as once more cited in a call to withdraw from the occasion.
Weirdly, it arrange his closing title protection. Santiago was elevated to essential occasion that night, the place he defeated Jose Vivas to win the interim WBO belt. A title consolidation bout was instantly ordered, which Gonzalez gained with room to spare.
Gonzalez will doubtless take an interim battle at flyweight whereas the title image is sorted out on the weight. Olascuaga (6-1, 4 KOs) is because of face Riku Kano (22-4-2, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBO 112-pound title on July 20 in Tokyo.
FILLING THE VOID LEFT BEHIND
In the meantime, the WBO should order a vacant 108-pound title battle to fill the void. The highest two rated contenders are Shokichi Iwata and Jairo Noriega.
Gonzalez defeated Tokyo’s Iwata (12-1, 9 KOs) by way of unanimous determination in a Nov. 2022 obligatory title protection. Iwata has since gained three straight and is because of face the Philippines’ Jahzeel Trinidad (11-0, 6 KOs) on July 6 in Tokyo.
Noriega (14-0, 3 KOs) can also be promoted by All Star Boxing, Inc. The 31-year-old Spaniard superior within the WBO rankings after a March 8 12-round determination win over Azael Villar in Managua. The bout was his first outdoors of Spain.
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