Featherweight prospect Joet Gonzalez will take a step up in his opposition level in his next fight.
Gonzalez will fight Rafael “Big Bang” Rivera in the scheduled 10-round main event of the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN card on July 13 (ESPN and ESPN Deports, 7 p.m. ET) at The Novo at LA Live in Los Angeles, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Monday.
Gonzalez (19-0, 11 KOs), 24, of native of Glendora, California, has scored five knockouts in a row, but Rivera is a better grade of opponent than he has been facing.
“This has been one of my goals and thank God I’ll be fighting for my first regional title,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve worked too hard over the past few years to not make the most of this opportunity, and I promise to make the most of it against Rafael Rivera. I have all the tools to be the best fighter in this division. Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions and my manager Frank Espinoza for allowing my step up and showcase my skills.”
Rivera (25-1-2, 16 KOs), 24, of Mexico, suffered his only loss in his last fight in September, when he stepped in on short notice to face Joseph Diaz Jr. in a world title eliminator on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin undercard in Las Vegas and dropped a unanimous decision.
“I had a last-minute chance against ‘JoJo’ Diaz back in September, and I missed it,” Rivera said. “This fight against Joet is the best opportunity to show what I’m capable of.”
Rivera’s biggest win was 10-round split decision against former junior featherweight world titlist Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in 2015.
In one of the undercard bouts, lightweight Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (18-2, 15 KOs), 22, of Buena Park, Calif., will look to bounce back from an eight-round decision loss to Rey Perez in February. Gonzalez will face an opponent t be determined in a six-round bout in his first fight with trainer Joel Diaz.
Also, Richard Acevedo (2-0, 2 KOs), a 22-year-old originally from Garden City, Kansas now fighting out of Oxnard, California, who turned pro in May, will box in a four-round junior middleweight bout against an opponent to be named.