Gonzales Wins Easily, Gets Back on Schedule

The hand is healed and the dream is no longer deferred for Paul Gonzales. At last, 16 months after winning an Olympic gold medal, the timetable toward professional success is accelerating for the boxer from East Los Angeles.

Before an estimated crowd of 1,500 at the Hollywood Palladium Thursday night, Gonzales breezed to a unanimous, eight-round decision over Joey Roach of Boston in only his second professional fight.

So, after missing a year due to a fractured right hand, Gonzales is now on schedule to a possible encounter with another East Los Angeles fighter, Joey Olivo, for the mini-flyweight championship.

Gonzales, whose first pro fight took place one year after he won his Olympic gold in August 1984, now is due to fight two nationally televised bouts in February and April. If successful, Olivo would appear to loom after that.

“I want to fight as much as I can,” said Gonzales, who never had gone more than six rounds before Thursday night but appeared fresh at the end, when he was on the verge of taking out Roach. The latter came into the fight undefeated in 10 fights as a professional but had lost a disputed decision to Gonzales in an amateur bout two years ago.

“I think we took care of the Roach,” said Gonzales, smiling. “I don’t think I left any doubts in his mind, do you?”

Gonzales used his height and reach advantage over Roach to score heavily with his left jab, and successfully slipped out of the infighting sought by Roach. All three judges gave Gonzales all eight rounds, 80-72.

Gonzales’ manager, Al Stankie, said his fighter was right on track.

“He got a good workout,” Stankie said. “He went eight rounds very easily, very strong. We wanted to get him confident that he can do it. That’s why I told him to keep moving, don’t worry about stopping him (Roach).”