Gonzales Dances Off With Title in Third Pro Fight

Paul Gonzales, the East Los Angeles flyweight who dazzled the international amateur boxing world at the Los Angeles Olympics two summers ago with a superb left jab, excellent defensive skills and marvelous footwork, won a professional championship Sunday pretty much the same way.

Gonzales, in only his third professional bout, earned a tough decision over Alonzo Strongbow of Sepulveda to win the North American Boxing Federation flyweight championship at the Palladium. Even though Gonzales was the last of the U.S. Olympic boxing team members to turn pro, he’s the first to win a pro title.

On Sunday, before a full house of 1,500, the 5-8 Gonzales established a pattern of jabs, movement and an occasional scoring flurry early. He continued that strategy through the middle rounds, then jabbed and sidestepped out of harm’s way from his shorter, stronger opponent’s desperate charges in the last three rounds.

Judge Dick Young scored it 117-111, but judges Pat Jarman and Vince Delgado both had it closer, 116-113.

On the same card, Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Henry Tillman of Los Angeles stretched his record to 8-0 by stopping Sylvester Lee of Los Angeles in the first round.

Gonzales, and all the other members of the ’84 Olympic boxing team, learned years ago that a crisp, accurate left jab is the key to winning amateur bouts. It doesn’t quite work that way in the pros, where judges favor punches carrying more velocity. But on Sunday, Gonzales’ effective, consistent jab on top of all his other skills were too much for Strongbow, 27, now 19-10.

Gonzales seldom employed his right hand in the last half of the bout, causing some to wonder if he’d injured it again. Gonzales has a brittle right hand. He went through the Olympics with a broken metatarsal, and the hand was operated on after the Games. He also had surgery on the hand in 1983.

“My hands feel great,” he said afterward. “I used the right when I wanted to. It’s just that I didn’t want to get into a punching contest with him. Matadors live and bulls die, you know.”

After three rounds, Gonzales had established a pattern that Strongbow was never able to interrupt. Several inches taller, Gonzales kept the always-charging Strongbow at bay with the crisp jab and skillful footwork. All this artistry was lost on Strongbow’s trainer, Harry Kabakoff, who yelled repeatedly at Gonzales: “Hey, quit running, you bum!” Or sometimes it was: “Stand still and fight, you bum!”

Afterward, Kabakoff said he had no quarrel with the decision, but still wouldn’t concede anything to the victor.

“If Gonzales hadn’t won that gold medal, he’d be fightin’ six-rounders at the Olympic for $300,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for my fighter, there wouldn’t have been a fight. Don’t get me wrong, I like the kid--but he’s not exciting. He’s not commercial.”

That’s funny, he seemed commercial Sunday. He earned $35,000 for beating Strongbow, one of the largest paychecks ever earned in the United States by a flyweight. Strongbow got $7,500.

But you could have left after the first three rounds. Strongbow kept charging, and Gonzales kept escaping.

Strongbow, knowing he was behind on all cards, made it exciting in the last three rounds when his charges became more desperate. An element of wildness came into his attack. Occasionally, a wild blow connected. But Gonzales was never in serious difficulty. Conversely, Gonzales never threatened to knock out Strongbow, either. There were no knockdowns.

And so the one-time street brat from the barrio, who still has shotgun pellet scars in his scalp from a fracas 10 years ago, is now an amateur and a pro champion. What’s next?

“I want a shot at the world championship, but I’m going to take my time,” said Gonzales, happily showing off his NABF championship belt. “I’d like a couple more fights, maybe not as tough as this one, before a title shot.

“I was ready for this. I was in great shape. I sparred six four-minute rounds with 30-second rests with Richie Sandoval (world bantamweight champion). Richie and my other sparring partners weren’t taking it easy on me, they were really coming after me. I had no trouble with 12 rounds today. During the fight, I really didn’t even know what round it was.”

Tillman, too, is talking title. He earned $10,000 Sunday.

“We’re trying to get Henry a cruiserweight championship (IBF) shot in August against Leroy Murphy,” said trainer Mercer Smith, who spotted Tillman in a boxing instruction class at the California Youth Authority facility at Chino in 1981.

Said Tillman, who barely broke a sweat: “I’m ready right now for any cruiserweight in the world. I was in shape today to go 15 rounds. I’ve been getting some great sparring in the gym, with big heavyweights like Michael Dokes and Mark Wills.”

Tillman, 25, who weighed 195 Sunday, needed just 2 minutes 15 seconds. First he jolted Lee (6-4) with a big left hook in center-ring. Lee stumbled backward into a neutral corner, where Tillman hit him with 11 consecutive punches. At that point, it was hard to see what happened next, the white towel sailing into the ring from Lee’s corner or referee Lou Filippo stepping in to stop it.

Even in just over 2 minutes, Tillman took his time.

“Even after I got him with the hook and he started stumbling around, I was still a little cautious with him,” Tillman said. “Even though I knew he was hurt, a guy who’s hurt like that can still hurt you. I didn’t want to get tagged with something wild.”

The undercard: Oscar Chavarria (120 1/2) dec. Pedro Lara (119), 4; Ricky Romero (114) def. Eddie Pacheco (113), KO-2.