Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez's first defense is already being put together.
According to his handlers, the 108-pound world champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) is aiming to defend his title for the first time on March 26 or April 2 at a venue to be defined.
The fight will take place in Puerto Rico or Kissimmee, Florida.
“We are trying to keep him as active as possible. We are working with two possible dates to make an optional defense," said promoter Félix “Tutico” Zabala to Giovanny Vega.
“We are looking at the possibility of a boxer who is in the rankings. There are a couple of Mexican and Japanese fighters. We do not yet know which would be the opponent. It is an optional defense."
In the December rankings, Japan's Riku Kano remained listed as the WBO's second ranked, only below American Jesse Rodríguez. Mexicans Elwin Soto (# 4), Erick Omar López (# 13) and Axel Aragón (# 15) also figure in the ranking.
"It also depends on who can bring something to the table," Zabala said.
González - who is 25-3-1 and has 14 KO's - won the title on October 16 by defeating Elwin “La Pulga” Soto in Fresno, California by split decision.
In an ideal scenario and without the limitations of the covid-19 pandemic, González would be defending his title three times during the year. In addition, he wants to unify titles against any other champion.
“After (the first fight of the year) we will try to find big fights for him, that are unifications. That's what he wants," assured Zabala.
With respect to possible unifications, some of the names being targeted are Nicaraguan Félix Alvarado, who is the light flyweight champion in the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Japan's Masamichi Yabuki, who holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) strap, and the Mexico's Esteban Bermúdez in the World Boxing Association (WBA).
