Joet Gonzalez still right in the title mix at featherweight

Sometimes a loss is a win.

And a win, or just a fair shake on the scorecards, is what is due Joet Gonzalez.

On the recent Manny Pacquiao comeback fight card in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, talented featherweight and world title contender Joet Gonzalez (27-5, 15 KOs) of Los Angeles was on the under card. He was facing tough and relentless Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas.

While the fight, a non-stop, all action dust up was close, most everyone who saw the fight felt that perennial contender Gonzalez did enough to win.

Gonzalez, as TV-friendly and tough as they come, has been in and around the world title picture for much of the last 6 years of his career. His 3 world featherweight title shots, against Emanuel Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson (WBO) and Luis Alberto Lopez (IBF) saw him come up short in competitive and spirited efforts.

A win for Gonzalez in his fight against Figueroa, himself a former super bantamweight and featherweight world champion, would have been a first class ticket to the front of the line for another world title shot. And he earned it. 

The fight was predictable fireworks with two action fighters like this. They are both all action, all night. Gonzalez seemed to be in control for the first t half of the fight. He did give away some rounds later, but it appeared he had done more than enough to secure the win. A draw may have been a little easier to digest - but he didn’t lose the fight. 

This was a frustrating setback for the classy, well-spoken Gonzalez, a fighter who is never in a bad fight. His title shot losses have been against the (then red-hot) Luis Alberto Lopez, iron-tough Emanuel Navarrete, and undefeated master boxer Shakur Stevenson.

After the fight, Gonzalez was classy in defeat, but he did see a silver lining in the reaction he has been getting from the boxing world.    

“I think there’s nothing for me to say regarding my fight because I feel all the real die-hard boxing fans, experts, analysts, commentators, networks, writers, media, and even the casuals have already spoken for me regarding the fight and the result”, he said. “I just want to thank God once again for allowing me to do what I love at the highest level and at the biggest stage of boxing and that is fighting on PPV in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thank you to those who texted, called, messaged, supported in person, from home or in any way, I sincerely appreciate it”.

While a victory eluded him, sometimes when you lose, you win. The reaction that Gonzalez has been getting from the boxing world is sure to keep him right in line for a rematch or another big assignment. Despite being 3-4 over his last 7 fights, fans aren’t writing him off after this loss; in fact, they are anxious to see him in the ring again.

Gonzalez will take a break and return with his eyes still fixed on another world title shot.

This is a tough and tenacious fighter with a strong will that isn’t easily broken.

Sounds like a future world champion to me.