By Dan Ambrose: Former World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (47-7, 41 KO’s) is looking to challenge WBC featherweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (29-3, 12 KO”s) next. According to fightnews, a purse auction will take place this Friday for the two fighters at the WBC headquarters in Mexico City. The bout could take place in Mexico, but it’s still up in there air right now in terms of where they want to put this fight.

Hasegawa, the former WBC bantamweight champion, was stopped in the 4th round by Fernando Montiel last year in April. Later in the year, Hasegawa moved up in weight and defeated Juan Carlos Burgos by a 12 round unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBC featherweight title. This will be Hasegawa’s first defense of the belt.

Gonzalez is ranked #1 by the WBC, and has had poor results when he’s stepped it up against better opposition in the last three years. In 2007, Gonzalez was stopped in the 7th round by Gerry Penalosa. Gonzalez then won six fights in a row against 2nd tier fighters before taking on WBC super bantamweight champion Toshuaki Noshioka in May 2009. Gonzalez lost that fight by 3rd round TKO. Gonzalez has since won seven straight fights against 2nd tier opposition and is ready to challenge Hasegawa for his title.

Gonzalez will likely get destroyed again and have to settle for having fought for another title. Despite having a lot of talent, Gonzalez is seems to have problems taking shots against the better fighters. He’s great on offense but when he gets hit by quality fighters, he tends to go down. Hasegawa has an excellent right hook and straight left hand. He’s going to give Gonzalez a lot of problems.