Humberto Gonzalez

Humberto “Chiquita” González is a Mexican former world light-flyweight champion who boxed professionally from 1984 until 1995. Born in Nezahualcóyotl, in the State of Mexico, on March 25, 1966, he stood only 5 ft 1 in but possessed unusual punching authority for the 108lb division. An orthodox boxer who could alter his stance when required, González completed his career with 43 victories and three defeats from 46 contests, with 30 wins inside the distance. He won the World Boxing Council light-flyweight championship three times, later added the International Boxing Federation belt and made 12 successful world-title defences.

González was the son of a butcher and came into the professional game after an unbeaten 23-fight amateur career. His first paid contest took place in Mexico City in September 1984, when he defeated Jorge Ortega Pérez on points over four rounds. He developed steadily rather than being hurried towards a championship, building his strength and experience on Mexican bills. By the end of 1987 he was unbeaten in 20 fights and had won the Mexican light-flyweight title, which he defended twice. Although short even by the standards of the division, he compensated with a 65in reach, a compact build and an ability to produce leverage from either hand at close and medium range.

His first world championship came in South Korea on June 25, 1989. González travelled to Seoul to challenge Yul-Woo Lee for the WBC title and won a unanimous decision over 12 rounds. It was an important result away from home and confirmed that his power was supported by sufficient stamina and judgement to succeed over the championship distance. He defended against Jung-Koo Chang, a distinguished former champion who had dominated the division for much of the decade, stopping him in the 12th round. Further victories followed against Francisco Tejedor, Felipe Orozco and other ranked challengers. González was not a cautious champion. His preference was to advance behind a high guard, work the body and bring short hooks and uppercuts through the centre. He could box when necessary, but his reputation was founded principally upon pressure and heavy punching.

His first reign ended unexpectedly in December 1990 when Rolando Pascua of the Philippines knocked him out in the sixth round in Inglewood, California. González recovered promptly and regained the vacant WBC championship in December 1991 by defeating Melchor Cob Castro, whom he beat again in an immediate return. His second period as champion included victories over Napa Kiatwanchai and former title-holder Chang, and it prepared the way for the contest by which he became most widely known. By early 1993 González and the unbeaten IBF champion Michael Carbajal were regarded as the two outstanding light-flyweights in the world. Their unification match was unusual for a division which had seldom received major American television exposure or substantial purses. Both men were guaranteed $1 million, and their meeting became the first junior-flyweight championship to headline a pay-per-view programme.

The first Carbajal fight, at the Las Vegas Hilton on March 13, 1993, developed into one of the finest small-man championship contests of its period. González dropped Carbajal in the second and fifth rounds and appeared to have established a decisive advantage. Carbajal was cut near the right eye but continued to exchange at close quarters. Late in the seventh, he caught González with an uppercut and followed with a combination which put the Mexican down for the full count at 2min 59sec. The contest was named The Ring magazine’s Fight of the Year. The defeat was severe, but it did not finish González as a championship force. After two rebuilding victories, he met Carbajal again at the Great Western Forum in February 1994 and boxed with considerably greater restraint. Rather than become involved in another prolonged exchange, González used movement, shorter combinations and more disciplined defence to win a split decision and recover both the WBC and IBF championships.

González defended the unified championship against Juan Domingo Córdoba before meeting Carbajal for a third time at the Plaza de Toros México in November 1994. The third contest was less dramatic than their first, but González again controlled enough of the rounds to retain the titles by majority decision. The verdicts in the second and third fights were disputed in some quarters, particularly in the United States, yet the record shows that González won two contests in a trilogy against one of the division’s outstanding champions. His rivalry with Carbajal also brought unprecedented attention to light-flyweight boxing. Their first match remains the defining contest, but González’s ability to revise his tactics and win both returns was equally important to his standing.

After stopping Jesús Zúñiga in five rounds in March 1995, González defended against Thailand’s Saman Sorjaturong at the Great Western Forum on July 15. Sorjaturong had been regarded as a decided outsider, having previously been stopped in two rounds by Ricardo López, but he engaged González in a punishing contest. Both men were knocked down twice. González was floored in the fifth and sixth rounds, while Sorjaturong also visited the canvas during the exchanges. The Thai challenger finally forced the stoppage after 58 seconds of the seventh round, taking the WBC and IBF championships. The bout was selected as The Ring’s Fight of the Year for 1995, giving González the unusual distinction of taking part in two such contests within three seasons. He announced his retirement immediately afterwards, aged 29, and did not attempt a comeback.

González remained in Mexico after leaving the ring and went into business, opening meat markets and working part-time as a butcher, continuing the family trade. He also retained links with boxing through Chiquita Boxing and promotional activity in Mexico. In 2006 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside Carbajal, an appropriate recognition of two champions whose rivalry raised the commercial and sporting standing of the light-flyweight division. González’s record in world-title contests was 15 victories and three defeats, with seven wins by knockout, and he defeated nine men who held, or would later hold, recognised world championships. His place in Mexican boxing rests not merely upon the number of belts he won, but upon his punching power, his durability and his willingness to meet the strongest available opposition during an 11-year career.