PHOENIX – A taller opponent and a potentially bigger risk confronts Phoenix super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales, who faces Francisco Sierra of Mexico instead of Henry Buchanan of Maryland Friday night at U.S. Airways Center in an ESPN2-televised fight for the North American Boxing Federation’s version of the 168-pound title.
“Buchanan was too cowardly to get on the plane, come on out here and fight,’’ said Gonzales (26-1, 14 KOs), a one-time Top Rank prospect who is fighting to re-start his career in a hometown comeback.
It’s not exactly clear whether Buchanan (20-2, 13 KOs) wanted more money or was out of condition or just didn’t want to fight the heavy-handed Gonzales. Darin Schmick of Fan Base Promotions suspects it was about money.
“Basically, he was trying to do an old-fashioned shakedown,’’ said Schmick, a Canadian who is trying to resurrect Phoenix boxing, a dormant market for the last few years.
Sierra (24-3, 22 KOs) took the fight on short notice, a shuffle that means the 5-foot-10 Gonzales will be the shorter opponent instead of the taller one. Sierra is 6-1; Buchanan is 5-8. It also could mean a more challenging night for Gonzales. Sierra, who beat former champion Jose Luis Lopez in 2010 and was knocked out by Edison Miranda in 2009, is considered slow, but he possesses fight-stopping power.
“He likes to bang,’’ Gonzales said Wednesday at a news conference for a seven-fight card scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. (PST). “He’s a little more dangerous, but that’s what I’ve been training for.’’
The bout, scheduled for 12 rounds, also represents Gonzales’ return to the only place he ever lost as a pro. He was stopped in eight rounds by Jose Luis Zertuche on a 2005 card at U.S. Airways Center, the NBA home for the Phoenix Suns. Gonzales’ career never recovered from that lone defeat.
“I’ve got to make up for what happened the last time I was here,’’ said Gonzales, who was at about 170 pounds about 24 hours before the official weigh-in Thursday at 4 p.m. (PST), also at U.S. Airways Center.
