Alonzo Strongbow Faces the Fact That Flyweights Are Lightweights to Networks : Is This Man Worth His Weight?

The way Alonzo Strongbow figures it, everything is backwards.

He is the North American Boxing Federation flyweight champion and the California state champion. Paul Gonzales does not hold a professional title.

Strongbow, 26, is 19-9-1 with 11 knockouts and has been fighting professionally since 1978. Gonzales, 21, has had just two fights, winning both, since turning professional last year.

Strongbow has fought on the international stage. Gonzales, a product of East Los Angeles, has achieved his fame without leaving town.

So why in the world, Strongbow wants to know, is all the emphasis, not to mention most of the money, going Gonzales’ way in the 12-round, nationally televised championship fight between the two, scheduled for today at the Hollywood Palladium?

The reason, of course, is exposure. The one trophy Gonzales does possess is the gold medal he captured in the 1984 Olympics. It has given Gonzales visibility in a division whose stature is normally as diminutive as the fighters who perform in it.

It is also giving him a lot of money. Gonzales is being paid $35,000 for the fight, Strongbow just $7,500.

“America doesn’t buy little guys,” said Mort Sharnik, boxing coordinator for CBS, the network staging today’s show. “Well, CBS is not buying little guys. It is buying Paul Gonzales. He is a hell of a story.”

Not in Strongbow’s eyes.

“He’s a joke for me,” Strongbow said, “and I’m going to prove it. He’s a hell of a prospect to me, but that’s all he is right now. He was a great Olympic champ, but I can’t see a guy who has had only two pro fights beating somebody who has been a pro for seven years. That’s a big jump. He’s a classic fighter, but he’s no puncher. He’s not even a fighter. He belongs as an amateur. It should be a good tuneup for me.

“It would be a surprise if he beats me, but there’ll be no surprises. I don’t have to prove anything. I’m looking for a knockout. I’m a quality fighter.”

But for this fight, Jesus Pimentel has taken over the quality control as Strongbow’s trainer. Strongbow, despite his apparent confidence, has lost his last three fights. He took on Hilario Zapata last March in Panama for the right to fight for the WBA flyweight crown held by Santos Laciar of Argentina. Strongbow lost a 12-round decision.

When Laciar left the flyweight division to become a bantamweight in July, Strongbow and Zapata met again in Panama, this time for the title. Again, it went 12 rounds. Again, Zapata won a decision.

Strongbow has fought once since, losing to Juan Diaz in Mexicali.

Pimentel was a great bantamweight for a dozen years and won 78 of his 84 fights, 72 by knockout. So he knows something about fighting. When he saw the Strongbow-Diaz fight, he immediately saw the problem.

“He’s got every punch in the book,” said Pimentel of Strongbow. “The problem is, he poses and feints instead of fighting. I don’t have to look at film of him. I know the problem. He needs to fight.”

Pimentel decided to try and make Strongbow more aggressive. He also tried to make him a body puncher, something he has not been in the past. Strongbow is a strong puncher, Gonzales an excellent boxer. Pimentel figures body shots are the best way for his fighter to wear down his opponent. He has quoted an old fight cliche over and over to Strongbow: Kill the body and the head will die.

Strongbow didn’t buy it at first. As a matter of fact, Pimentel actually brought his fighter to tears in the gym with his constant demands for work to the body.

“He told me, ‘No way. I don’t fight that way,’ ” Pimentel said. “I told him to go in and fight. He has got to keep the pressure on. He has got to go to the body. That is what he hasn’t done in his career. If he would have done that in most of his fights, he would have been champion of the world a long time ago.”

Strongbow, a proud man, won’t admit Pimentel changed his style, “just added to it.” But he doesn’t argue about the wisdom of his trainer’s strategy.

“If the fight goes 12 rounds, he would have to step up and fight,” Strongbow said of Gonzales. “He cannot win without fighting. I expect him to run, but I’ll make him fight.”

Gonzales has gone six and eight rounds in his two pro fights. Twelve rounds will offer a new test, but the Olympic champ, appearing mature beyond his years, shrugs off such potential hurdles as well as Strongbow’s braggadocio.

“Yeah, he can hit,” said Gonzales of his opponent. “Yeah, he is in condition. Maybe he’ll be coming after me, but I know my potential and I am going to show it to the world. I’m not a runner. I’m not Carl Lewis. I’ve done all my running getting ready for the fight. I don’t need to run anymore. But why should I brawl when God gave me the talent to box?

“I’m telling all the champions to hang onto your titles as long as you can. Because once Paul Gonzales comes to claim it, he has got to have it.”

Gonzales was the last of the ’84 Olympic champions to turn professional. If he is victorious today, he will be the first to have won a championship.

Strongbow was born Alonzo Gonzalez in Mexicali, Mexico. The 5-5, 112-pounder was once managed by longtime Valley promoter Harry Kabakoff.

A little more than five years ago, Alonzo fought at Strongbow Stadium in Bakersfield where he was spotted by Ramona Strongbow, wife of the late wrestler and promoter, Jules Strongbow. Ramona, who then lived alone in her huge house in Sepulveda, was commuting to Bakersfield at the time. The chance meeting resulted in Ramona taking over Alonzo’s career as manager and Alonzo, in turn, taking her name.

Recalled Ramona: “Harry said to me, ‘You worry about being in that big house and driving back and forth alone to Bakersfield. Why not let me put him in there with you? He would be security for you and he could learn English.”

That Strongbow did. He also continued to improve in the ring, eventually winning his NABF crown from Candido Tellez in a unanimous 12-round decision in April, 1984. That was during the one year Strongbow spent at the Ten Goose gymnasium in North Hollywood. He has since severed his ties with Ten Goose and remains under the management of Ramona.

For today’s battle, even Kabakoff is coming back. He’ll work Strongbow’s corner along with Pimentel.

This is the big one for Strongbow. He may have the experience. He may have the title. But Gonzales has the name. And the spotlight among flyweights.

Until somebody can take it away.