Jonathan Gonzalez vs Abraham Perez

This is not a glamour fight for the casuals, but for boxing people, it is a good fight. Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez is the old fox here, a southpaw who knows every little trick in the book, and Abraham Perez is the unbeaten challenger trying to prove he is more than a tidy record. One man has seen the heat, the other is finding out if he belongs in it.

Perez is taller, younger, fresher, and has the sort of frame that can be awkward at flyweight if he uses it properly. But Gonzalez has the craft. He will not stand there having a brawl just because Perez fancies a tear-up. He will move, nick angles, touch, turn, frustrate, and make Perez miss by just enough to start putting doubts in his head.

The nuts and bolts for Gonzalez are his feet and southpaw rhythm. He needs to make Perez reach. Once Perez starts leaning in with that orthodox lead hand, Gonzalez can slide outside, stab the body, and bring the left hand through the middle. It is not flash, it is proper professional thinking, steal a step, steal a round, steal the confidence.

Perez’s route is youth, size, and pressure. He has to jab with authority, keep Gonzalez near the ropes, and make the older man work every second. But unbeaten is not the same as seasoned. Gonzalez has been in with men who know every dirty little trick.

I expect Perez to start brightly and maybe nick early rounds. But Gonzalez will slow it down, spoil the rhythm, and box his way clear. Jonathan Gonzalez wins by unanimous decision.