Historically, the 126lb. Featherweight division has provided many memorable battles throughout numerous decades throughout Boxing history. In more recent times, however, it seems as though the division has found itself in a consistent pattern of transition. If not a transition of fighters beating champions for versions of the World Featherweight championship, transitions in that fighters that become the central figures of the division move up in weight seeking more world championships and more lucrative opportunities. While the most interesting topic of discussion in the present day with regard to the Featherweights in the eyes of many fans is likely when the current unbeaten Undisputed Jr. Featherweight world champion Naoya Inoue, a fighter who has achieved undisputed champion status as both a Bantamweight and a Jr. Featherweight, will eventually enter the division, the current crop of world champions in the division are angling to establish themselves as the division’s next central figure. Among the potential candidates is the current world champion of the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Dayan Gonzalez.
Unbeaten in seventeen professional bouts, with fifteen knockouts, the Cuban-born, U.A.E-based Gonzalez won the vacant IBO Featherweight world championship in December of last year with a first round knockout of Wira Mikham. Gonzalez would follow that victory with another first round knockout in February of this year of Kevin Villanueva in a non-title bout. This would serve as the set up for his fight on September 27th when he faced nineteen bout veteran Rhonvex Capuloy of the Philippines in a scheduled ten round non-title bout at the World Siam Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Although it is unusual in the present era of the sport to see world champions competing in non-title bouts that did not come as a result of a scheduled title defense being altered due to one fighter not being able to make the official weight limit to be able to challenge for or defend that championship, there was a time going back as recent to the 1990’s and decades prior where world champions would occasionally compete in non-title bouts to remain active in between title defenses. A practice that was considered normal throughout many divisions below the Heavyweight division. While in one sense this observer finds it refreshing to see that practice being implemented today, I cannot recall as of this writing seeing a situation where I have covered a world champion, who after winning the title, and remaining in the same weight class, has chosen to compete in two non-title bouts consecutively before making their first title defense.
The odd circumstance notwithstanding and the throwback element of this fight, I was curious to see how Gonzalez would perform as this was my first opportunity to cover one of his bouts. What stood out immediately was what I refer to as “Tactical Aggression." In that the approach Gonzalez implemented was very aggressive and in line with a fighter who has a career knockout percentage of over 88%, but very tactical in how he executed that approach.
Sometimes it is rare to see a fighter who hails from Cuba implement such an approach with a fair emphasis on aggression because often, Cuban fighters, who are elite amateurs are known more for accuracy and precision rather than as come forward pressure fighters throwing punches at a high volume. Nevertheless, it needs to be emphasized by yours truly, Gonzalez was not reckless in his approach and applied pressure on Capuloy behind a consistent double jab, which put the southpaw immediately on the defensive.
In the second round, Capuloy was able to open up more with his offense and seemed to be finding a gradual rhythm. Just as it seemed like Capuloy, who entered the fight with a record of 13-3-3, with 10 Knockouts, was beginning to give Gonzalez at minimum cause for caution with some of his punches, Gonzalez responded by dropping him with a flush right hook to the jaw that sent Capuloy flat on his back. Despite being dropped hard, Capuloy was able to beat the count and survived the round.
Gonzalez continued to dish out punishment in the third round by consistently backing Capuloy up against the ropes and periodically trapping him in corners. It was at this stage that Gonzalez unleashed what amounted to a full range of offense, jabs, straight right hands, hooks with both hands, and uppercuts with both hands as well with the majority of punches focused on the head of Capuloy. The constant pressure and consistent power shots from Gonzalez finally broke Capuloy down as a barrage of heavy blows capped off with a flush left hook to the jaw sent the very “Game," but over matched Capuloy down for a second and final time as his corner mercifully threw the towel in to save their fighter from further punishment at 2:30 of round four.
Ultimately, this proved to be what is often referred to as a “Tune-Up” for a young and unbeaten world champion. In terms of what will be next, the obvious in this observer’s mind would be for Gonzalez and his handlers to schedule a defense of his IBO world championship before possibly being stripped of it.
Although the IBO, the fifth most recognized world sanctioning organization in the sport is not held in as high regard as it's counterparts the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO, it is a recognized sanctioning organization known for its computerized rankings model, which differs from its counterparts. The organization, however, does not have a history of consistently mandating its world champions to defend their titles within a certain timeframe.
Currently, the top three contenders in the IBO’s Featherweight ratings are in order of one to three, Brandon Figueroa, Luis Nery, and Bruce Carrington. All three fighters are certainly deserving of their current positions as top contenders and each of the three would provide an interesting challenge for Gonzalez both from a skill standpoint as well as in terms of experience. While Dayan Gonzalez is a world champion and “Knockout Artist" that has seemingly come out of nowhere, he has only had eighteen professional fights including this most recent outing against Rhonvex Capuloy. It should also be noted that, despite being as impressive and intimidating as a fighter with a near 90% career knockout percentage might be, Gonzalez has only been as far as none rounds up to this point in his career.
Taking non-title bouts in between title defenses is a concept that this observer would like to see return to more of a norm within the sport. Part of what makes a champion, however, is once a fighter becomes world champion the expectation and standard is increased and that includes defending and hopefully unifying the title over time. It's time for Dayan Gonzalez to show he can defend his portion of the World Featherweight title and take a step that could lead to potential unification bouts and may ultimately result in his establishing himself as the division’s next central figure in time. Before he can focus on any of what might come down the line, however, he needs to get a title defense first.
“And That's The Boxing Truth."
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