Arce: I’m ready to die in the ring against Jhonny Gonzalez if necessary

By Boxing News - 10/04/2014 - Comments

arce7(Photo credit: World Boxing Council) By Dan Ambrose: #10 WBC Jorge Arce (64-7-2, 49 KOs) says he’s ready to sacrifice his life in the ring tonight against WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (56-8, 47 KOs) to try and capture his WBC title at the Cancha de Usos Multiples Praderas de Villa, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Arce, 35, had retired from boxing following his 3rd round blowout loss to WBO World super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire in November 2012. Arce stayed retired for exactly 11 months before returning to the ring in December of 2013 to try and capture a 5th division world title.

Arce has won his last 3 fights since his comeback, and he’ll be looking to put everything on the line tonight against the younger, stronger, faster, and more talented Gonzalez in hopes of capturing his WBC title. It’s kind of a hopeless situation for Arce unless Gonzalez implodes like he did in his losses to Gerry Penalosa and Toshiaki Nishioka.

“Make history and win my sixth crown in different divisions,” Arce said via Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. “I will go forward. I’m not scared to meet St. Peter. I’m ready to die on that ring if necessary.”

When you hear a fighter making a comment about being ready to die in the ring, you’ve got to take it with a grain of salt because much of the time it’s just empty words. In Arce’s case, he played it safe when he was hurt in a fight against Jesus Rojas in 2012 in opting not to get up to continue fighting after Rojas hit Arce with a shot on his lower back and the side of his ear.

Arce sat down on the canvas and didn’t get up. In Arce’s stoppage loss to Donaire, he had to be helped back to his feet after staying on the canvas with a look of pain on his face after getting dropped.

“The fight could end at any moment, but however long it lasts, it will be war,” Gonzalez said. “We will win. I’m bigger and I have more reach. Our training is what will bring the win this Saturday.”

Gonzalez has the size and the power advantage over Arce. That should be more than enough for him to win this fight tonight. I expect the fight to be over within 3 rounds unless Gonzalez opts to carry Arce a few more rounds in order to give the boxing fans their money’s worth.



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