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Ricky Burns will look to retain his WBO lightweight crown tomorrow night at Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, meeting the challenge posed by Puerto Rican danger man Jose Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, the number one WBO contender at 135 pounds, has whipsawed his way through 22 opponents since turning pro in 2008, halting 17 inside the distance.
Only one fighter, Fernando Trejo in 2011, has managed to hear the final bell against Gonzalez in the last four years.
The 29 year old from Toa Baja has devastating power in either hand, mixing in crippling body shots with lethal counter-punching to produce a very credible threat to the 14 month title reign of Burns.
Team Burns is counting on the fact that Gonzalez hasn’t faced anyone near the world class level of the 30 year old Scotsman from Coatbridge, producing his impressive resume amid the company of record-building competition.
Ricky Burns has also pointed out the fact that he took the best shots of another big-punching Puerto Rican, Roman “Rocky” Martinez, yet climbed off the canvas to win the WBO super feather belt in 2010.
One thing Gonzalez will definitely face for the first time is someone who can truly punch back and that should place a question on his chin; can he take it as well as he can dish it out?
If Gonzalez is the genuine article, the fight with Burns should be a tremendous clash for as long as it lasts, as the Puerto Rican will likely either produce a knockout or gas himself out trying to do so and get stopped himself in the later rounds.
Ricky Burns has massively improved since his days as Commonwealth champion and if he can see off the challenge posed by Gonzalez, there could be unification bouts in his future.
