Sherman Oaks, Calif. – Undefeated Super Middleweight Brandon Gonzales, 28, is coming off a dominant victory by unanimous decision over Elie Augustama in which he battled through a substantial gash over his left eye that severely hindered his vision for the last few rounds of the fight.
“I learned about patience and sticking to the game plan and knowing that I can fight through adversity if necessary,” Gonzales said of his bloody cut. “It showed I could carry out a fight regardless of the circumstances.”
The Sacramento native, who is training with Virgil Hunter (also trainer of Andre Ward), is prepared to exhibit the same heart and determination against his upcoming challenger.
Mouton, 34, has momentum on his side as well, as the Houston native has won all of his fights since returning to the ring after a three-year hiatus, with all the wins coming in 2012. After stunning Jesse Luna with a TKO in his first fight since 2009, Mouton has won two bouts, including a knockout of Samuel Clarkson in his most recent fight.
As Mouton has garnered plenty of hype in his recent return to boxing – his opponents had a very respectable combined 40-7-1 record – Gonzales is prepared to face him at his best.
“[Don’s] a tough fighter and he comes to fight. He’s given a lot of guys trouble,” Gonzales said. “I definitely know he’s coming with the mindset this is his opportunity and he’ll be fully prepared. This is my first fight in seven months and I’m eager to get back into it and showcase my skills on a platform like ESPN.”
Promoter Dan Goossen says “This is the type of fight that can establish Brandon as a bonafide world rated super middleweight.”
The bout is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with
M & H Promotions. The event will be televised on ESPN2 (9:00PM EST/6:00PM PST) and ESPN Deportes and held at the Pueblo Pavilion in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Undercard Announced for Friday Night Fights at Magic City
The undercard has been announced for the Friday, January 4, 2013, season debut of ESPN Friday Night Fights, live from Stage 305 in the Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida. (Broadcast live at 10 PM Eastern on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, online through WatchESPN.com, and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.)
Presented by Warriors Boxing and Bad Dog Productions in association with the Magic City Casino, the two televised bouts will be a 12-round elimination bout for the IBF’s #2 position at super featherweight between Miami-based Cuban Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (17-0, 11 KOs) and undefeated Afghani-Canadian Arash Usmanee (20-0, 10 KOs) and a 10-round junior middleweight punch-out between Puerto Rican slugger Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (15-0-1, 13 KOs) and Philadelphia’s Derek “Pooh” Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs).
In support will be a host of competitive match-ups between local and international contenders, topped by a 10-round light welterweight attraction between Yuri Ramanau (22-2, 14 KOs) Minsk, Belarus and Jeremy Bryan (15-2, 7 KOs) of Paterson, New Jersey.
In a four-round heavyweight battle between undefeated hopefuls, Keith Tapia (5-0, 4 KOs) of New York, New York, will take on Rafael Valenzuela (6-0) of Agua Prieta, Mexico.
Also featured that night will be a six-round middleweight battle, as Bayamón, Puerto Rico’s Roberto J. Acevedo (6-0, 4 KOs) takes on Francisco Rios Gil (17-17, 12 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico .
In a four-round featherweight scrap between undefeated prospects, Miami, Florida’s Hairon Socarras (5-0-1, 4 KOs) will face Josh Bowles (6-0, 1 KO) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
And in a six-round light heavyweight battle, Zenica, Bosnia’s Radivoje Kalajdzic (8-0, 6 KOs) will take on Grover Young (6-7-1, 3 KOs) of Memphis.
