By Jody Kohn: When you call yourself “flawless,” there is an enormous amount of pressure to live up to your name. So far, Brandon Gonzales has been equal to the task. The former amateur sensation has burst on the pro scene with a 12-0 (9 KO) record. Now training with Jeff Mayweather, Gonzales has relocated his camp to Las Vegas in hopes of taking the next step to towards super stardom. I was able to catch up with Brandon after a recent workout at Pound 4 Pound Boxing Gym.
JK- How do you think your pro career path has differed from now and ifyou had been able to compete in the Olympics and win a medal?
BG-I try not to look back at it, l just play it how it goes. This is the path I have chosen and this is the path we are going down at the moment. I am just looking forward at this point.
JK- How did the move to Las Vegas come about?
BG- We fell out with our trainer, Ray Woods. I was training in Sacramento, and basically didn’t have a trainer so we started reaching out to different people that we felt were qualified for the position. My promoter Terry Lang looked out, as well as my attorney. In the end we found Jeff and that was the way we went.
JK- What has Jeff been able to add to your skills?
BG- So far the time we have been together has been short, but I think we are going down the right path. We have the same mindset as far as what type of fighter I am and what type of style I should be fighting. He’s teaching me to get back to my boxing and the things that made me successful in the amateurs such as range, using my jab, hand speed, angles, things of that nature. The things that made me ranked number 1 as an amateur.
JK- How many more fights before you think you are ready to take on a top 5 or world champion type fighter?
BG- I don’t think it is necessarily a number of fights, I think it is quality of opposition. You want to gradually increase the quality of competition. I think we have done that each time and become better. I would like to see something towards the end of the year, maybe a regional title. I think my promoter and manager share the same plans. So I think by the end of the year, a regional title is not out of the question.
JK- You have a growing and very strong group of supporters who consider you destined for greatness. Do you feel the pressure to live up to their hype?
BG- No. I just take it as motivation in disguise. People react different to pressure. I take it as motivation and try to live up to expectations. Your talking about a fighter who calls himself
“flawless.” I don’t take it as a nickname, but more of an expectation. So we aim for perfection every time out and in every aspect of training.
JK- In your last fight, you were knocked down. What was your mistake and what did you learn from it?
BG- It taught me that you have to be focused for three minutes of every round. I was pitching a shutout, the fight was going easy. I was feeling a little comfortable and took an unnecessary risk, and I paid for it. I got up, finished the round, and thought I might have even won the round despite the knockdown. But you can’t get complacent in there and that was what I took away from that fight.
JK- Who are some of your boxing heroes?
BG- My favorite fighter of all time is Muhammed Ali. The things he did inside the ring as well as outside the ring inspired me not only as a person, but as a fighter. I follow a lot of old school fighters. Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Carlos Monzon are some of the fighters that I appreciate watching.
JK- Why will you be a hero to up and coming boxers?
BG- I think it is dedication to sport, the success that I see down the way for myself. Hopefully they can use that as a model for their own careers. I have been through a lot in my career and I have steered myself in a good direction.
JK- Jessica Biel or Jessica Alba?
BG- Thats a tough question. I liked Jessica Biel in, what was that, Chuck & Larry. That sold me on her. She is a nice young lady.
After the interview, I talked with Brandon for another half hour or so. Two things stood out to me during the conversation. First, I realized I was talking to an extremely well-spoken guy. He credited this to his time spent working at a Starbucks and listening to all the customers. Although he has no college education, he plans to enroll this fall. He also recently started his own website, flawlessgonzales.com. It was his opinion that being well-spoken and wanting to know every detail in his career path has potentially been a slight hindrance in its progression.
I also noticed what is obvious to anyone that knows Brandon. Family is the most important thing in his life. Every decision he makes is based on what is ultimately best for his loved ones. I came away very impressed at his commitment to being the best husband and father he could be.
Only time will tell if Brandon Gonzales is able to live up to his “flawless” nickname. His amateur career showed him to be a future star in the sport. His pro career has been perfect so far. If the words of many of boxing’s so-called experts are to be believed, his future is just as bright. One thing is for sure, it won’t be long before Brandon Gonzales is a name that all boxing fans will recognize.