By Scott Gilfoid: Former two division world champion Ricky Burns (36-4-1, 11 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in the light welterweight [140lbs] division next month on October 4th against 32-year-old second tier fighter Leonardo Esteban Gonzalez (22-5-1, 15 KOs) from Argentinian in a scheduled 10 round bout at the First Direct Arena, Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
What’s interesting about the Burns-Gonzalez fight is that Burns isn’t actually fighting a light welterweight.
By CutmansStool: If you didn’t watch last weekends WBO lightweight title fight between Ricky Burns (36-2, 11 KO’s)) and Jose Gonzalez (22-1, 17 KO’s)) you would be forgiven if you came to the inclusion that Burns delivered a “brilliant performance” (as Glen McCrory described it in his blog) in his victory over the Puerto Rican challenger.
By reading columns and interviews involving anyone from Matchroom Sport’s or Sky TV, you may have a biased interception of what actually happened in Glasgow.
The truth is that Burns was totally outclassed in every round until the 8th and 9th, and even then that was more of a case of Gonzalez being questionably injured and exhausted rather than Burns figuring his opponent out.
By Shane Newsome: For those of you who haven’t read one of my articles yet I will explain them to you, they are your well informed non bias reviews and previews to the big fights each weekend I strip the fights back and look past all the hype and promotions and straight at the facts, so please give a read and enjoy.
In a relatively ‘slow week’ in comparison to recent weeks we had some great fights including an incredible three world title fights which didn’t fail to disappoint and have the boxing world talking, if you weren’t able to catch the action then please enjoy my review.
We start at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland, UK and perhaps the biggest fight of the night, a world title defense for WBO Lightweight champion Ricky Burns (36-2) against mandatory challenger Jose A Gonzalez (22-1) and a superb fight it was, with the 29 year-old Puerto Rican Gonzalez coming out in the earlier rounds showing some real class beyond his experience switch hitting and wining all but one of the first 6 rounds dominating Burns from a controllable range using his long reach at a pace he to controlled making burns over-reach and look out of his depth.
By Dan Ambrose: In watching last Saturday’s fight between WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns and Jose Gonzalez, it was pretty sad to see the Puerto Rican fighter Gonzalez quitting on his stool after the 9th round with a sizable 3-round lead on all of the scorecards.
Later after the fight, Gonzalez that he would have never quit had he known that he was ahead that much in the fight. Gonzalez thought the fight was extremely close, and that was why he chose to quit.
Having seen how WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez benefited greatly with the open scoring for his recent win over WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout last month in San Antonio, Texas, I wonder if Gonzalez would have quit on his stool if he had known how much of a lead he had after 8 rounds.
By Hugh Janus: Congratulations to Ricky Burns for an outstanding performance in defence of his World Title. A true Celtic warrior, he came through fire for the most decisive win of his career against an evidently more talented boxer. His World Champion credentials are beyond question.
Gonzalez showed pure class from the first bell, dominating the first half of the fight with ease. Early signs suggested the fight would end in a very lop sided decision if Burns could even make it that far. I had certainly written him off going into the 7th.
However, as Burns beautifully illustrated on Saturday night, winning and successfully defending a title strap does not always mean being the most talented boxer in the fight. There are many other qualities that make a champion.
By Scott Gilfoid: If you were hoping to see a mouth-watering rematch between WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (36-2, 11 KO’s) and Puerto Rican fighter Jose Gonzalez (22-1, 17 KO’s) you can forget it because Burns’ promoter Eddie Hearn closed the door tight and locked it by saying “No,” when asked if he’d be willing to put Burns back in with the hard hitting Gonzalez.
By Stevie Ocallaghan: The thing I would like to start with is that I do not judge a fighter on nationality, color or race, I judge a fighter on his ability in the ring.
Last Saturday night at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow we witnessed a war between WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns and Jose Gonzalez. What should be judged is that Ricky Burns retained his title when Gonzalez quit on his stool. No hollow victory, Gonzalez quit.
Great fighters in the past have quit, Roberto Duran, Vitali Klitschko, Don Curry and many more have quit through exhaustion or injury. It happens, but when a guy quits for whatever the reason, don’t belittle the winner as being lucky or fortunate.
By Stevie Ocallaghan: First things first, WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns retained his WBO lightweight title last Saturday night at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow by stopping challenger Jose Gonzalez after the 9th round.
Burns was not at his best, but I honestly think that was down to the supreme talent that Jose Chelo Gonzalez was. Gonzalez, arguably out fought Burns in the first half of the fight, but as I’ve written before there are not many fighters with the heart and fitness of Ricky Burns.
Gonzalez won the first 5 rounds fairly easily, the 6th was shared then round 7 was a barnstormer. Gonzalez threw everything he had and at one point looked to have Burns ready but Burns came back with everything he had. What a round and Burns did enough to share that round.
By Scott Gilfoid: If there was ever win that was a tainted one it was WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns’ win tonight over Jose Gonzalez (22-1, 17 KO’s) in Glasgow, Scotland. I mean, I’ve never seen Burns schooled like that before.
I shudder at the thought of what would have happened had Gonzalez not stopped fighting when he did. Burns looked totally out of his depth in the fight, and you could see it on his face. The man was desperate.
I like Burns as a fighter, but to see him win like that was sad because he really struggled against Gonzalez and couldn’t handle his jab, speed, power and movement.
