Arnold Gonzalez was a 28-year-old heavyweight boxer who was very refreshing, in that he knew where he wanted to go and how he wanted to get there. The owner of what he describes as “:educated left hand”, he also owns himself, which is rare in boxing these days.
An enterprising young man and the perfect self-starter, he moves forward in his professional career on the internet. Thursday, July 29 at Sony Hall when he was featured on the latest card presented by Boxing Insider Promotion.
Gonzalez grew up in Harlem, graduating from A. Phillip Randolph High School. He plans to go to college and get accepted into John Jay College, with criminal justice in mind.
However, the boxing bug bit him, and so he skipped college life. Luckily, he was able to make his mark in a big way. Gonzalez was a finalist for the New York Golden Gloves in 2015 and then went further, winning the National PAL (Police Athletic League), along with the Sugar Bert National, in 2018.
He has received sponsorship from the New York Athletics Club, a prestigious organization that includes some of the Big Apple’s most prominent citizens among its members.
He is also involved in the field of fitness and epitomizes his attitude towards most things, he has put in his best efforts, building the basis on which he has achieved his independence. Financial.
Gonzalez was looking to broaden his horizons to prepare to go pro, and to that goal he directed himself to Southern California, and specifically to the now legendary Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
Of course, that’s the domain of Freddie Roachand as Gonzalez entered Christmas Day 2018, he was looking for experience. He actually got more than he bargained for. On this particular holiday, the gym is empty, except for Roach, Gonzalez and its most famous resident, Manny Pacquiao. The eighth-place champion was getting ready for a match with Adrien Broner, and when Gonzalez explained to Roach that he had Broner-like style, Roach decided to put him right into a practice session.
Gonzalez admits it was “a bit nerve-wracking” to find himself up against a legend who lived before his professional career began, but looking back, he calls it “the best Christmas present I’ve ever received.” ever had”.
The match was so heated that when Gonzalez was about to leave town, Roach convinced him to stay. So he also helps Pacquiao prepare for the match against Keith Thurman and Yordenis Ugas. And in the process, Gonzalez moved to Southern California, where he currently trains under Julien Chua. .
PacMan has also used his influence to help Gonzalez’s professional career flourish. That career began in February 2019 with a win over Stacey Anderson in Nebraska. He’s also fought four times at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, competing on cards advertised by PBC.
Gonzalez’s lineage comes from Ecuador, and he’s also fought several times there, including Jose Luis Prieto’s fifth-round stop-over to win the UBO (Organization) intercontinental welterweight championship. world boxing authority), the title he defended last December with a win over Jesus Bravo.
One of the unique things about Gonzalez is the extent to which he has directed his own career. He’s self-managed, and it wasn’t an accident. At least for the moment, that’s the most efficient way for him to do business.
He understands that it is very difficult for promoters to pick up, such as talking to a boxer directly without a buffer (i.e. manager or agent) in the middle. But “all it takes is a conversation with them to know where my head is.”
“Boxing is a networking business,” says Gonzalez. “It’s such a small world that you’ll see people all over again.”
That’s exactly the situation that landed him on the July 29 card. Gonzalez had a fight with Larry Goldberg at Mendez Gym in New York. A few years later, when Goldberg became the promoter of his Boxing Insider Promotion, Gonzalez went to a gig at Sony Hall, bought a front row seat, and reintroduced himself to Goldberg. .
And so here we are.
Exactly where things will end up for Gonzalez is anyone’s guess. He says he has a sizable clientele of individual fitness practitioners around the Los Angeles area. He plans to continue to manage himself; one of his commanding decisions was that he would eventually drop from 147 to 140 pounds. At the right time, he will decide to choose a team with which he will advance to a higher level. He hopes that at some point in 2025, he will break into the top 10 and be ready to challenge for the world title.
Some things have to fall into place. But would you bet against that happening? WE won’t.
Tickets for the June 29 show are priced at $95, $125, $200 and $325 and are available through TicketWeb. Information about the table, contact [email protected]. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the first bell expected at 7:30pm.
Founded in 1997 as the premier boxing news and information destination, Boxing Insider has, over the course of the past ten months, moved into the advertising business. This will be Boxing Insider’s fifth pro boxing promotion.
Sony Hall is located at 235 W 46th St. in Manhattan, at the end of the Paramount Hotel, right across from the Theater Royal.
This event will be free to play on BoxingInsider.com
