It was recently announced that fan favorite fighter Jhonny Gonzalez is slated to return to action next month. Gonzalez is scheduled to take on Japan’s Kazuki Hashimoto in a 12-round battle for a regional title. The fight is to be held in Morelia Bicentennial Auditorium in Michoacan, Mexico, and will be broadcast on Televisa Deportes.
Gonzalez captured the WBC featherweight title on two separate occasions: first by knocking out Hozumi Hasegawa in 2011 and then again in 2013 when he torched 2004 Olympian Abner Mares in the first round. The powerful Gonzalez (57-9, 48 KOs) also captured the WBO bantamweight title with a seventh-round TKO of the great Ratanachai Sor Vorapin in 2005.
Throughout his stint as a prizefighter, Gonzalez has taken on the absolute best of his era. While he fell short against such luminaries as Israel Vazquez, Gerry Penalosa and Daniel Ponce de Leon, he holds wins over the likes of Marc “Too Sharp” Johnson, Jorge Arce, Irene Pacheco, Fernando Montiel and Elio Rojas.
Hashimoto, meanwhile, has won four in a row after dropping three straight. Hashimoto (11-4, seven KOs) has thus far fought exclusively in his native country and has yet to take on an opponent anywhere near Gonzalez’ caliber. It also should be noted that every time Hashimoto has tasted defeat, it has come via stoppage.
The main support bout of the evening is scheduled to be a bantamweight showdown between Julio “Pollito” Ceja (29-1, 26 KOs) and Devis Perez (30-13-4, 22 KOs).