Gonzalez Will Take the Money and Run : Boxing: Tonight’s pay-per-view fight at Forum pushes champion closer to retirement.

Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez, counting the days--and dollars--toward a prosperous retirement, is the light-flyweight everybody wants to fight.

Gonzalez, the only man in boxing recognized as champion by more than one major organizing body, says he will box for one more year, 18 months at most. Then, after two or three bouts, as he has promised his family, he will remove his powerful 5-foot-1 body and crowd-pleasing style from the sport.

Considering his 108-pound weight class and the legions of Latino fans who follow his every fistic move, Gonzalez (42-2, 29 knockouts), at 29, may be the best pound-for-pound moneymaker in the sport.

Tonight, in his 18th world title fight, the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council title-holder headlines a Forum pay-per-view show against Thailand’s Saman Sorjaturong (25-2-1, 20 KOs). The TVKO show, which has a recommended price of $24.95, begins at 6 p.m.

Sorjaturong is a former kick boxer whom Gonzalez admits isn’t the most exciting opponent to face.

“I would like to fight someone else, but I will fight [Sorjaturong] now, so I don’t have to fight him later,” Gonzalez said through an interpreter, pointing to a possible showdown with Russian flyweight Yuri Arbachakov. “I’m looking to just get him out of the way.”

Joining Gonzalez in featured bouts are Mark (Too Sharp) Johnson, a confident lightweight who has spent much of the media tour for this card daring Gonzalez to fight him ; Marco Antonio Barrera, a super-bantamweight who may inherit some of Gonzalez’s fan base, and Lonnie Bradley, a middleweight champion from New York.

The 21-year-old Barrera (36-0 25 KOs), the World Boxing Organization 122-pound champion, gets another chance to display his hand speed and counter-punching for a PPV audience, defending his title against Maui Diaz (27-1, 15 KOs).

Johnson (24-1, 17 KOs), the WBC’s No. 12 contender trying to thrust himself into the flyweight-title picture, faces Josue Camacho (15-3, 6 KOs). And Bradley (21-0, 17 KOs), the WBO middleweight champion, makes his first title defense against Dario Galindez (16-0-1, 7 KOs), the son of the late former light-heavyweight champion, Victor Galindez.

But Gonzalez, who has already proven his ability to draw a PPV audience--most specifically in his trilogy of fights against Michael Carbajal, a devastating knockout loss, then two savvy decision victories--is playing these next few fights almost like a farewell tour. “It’s not because I feel I’m declining,” Gonzalez said. “I’m at the peak of my career, and feel I’m better than I ever was.

“[But] I made a promise to my wife and family to quit within two years. It’s purely a family matter.”

Gonzalez has held his titles since defeating Carbajal in a strategic split decision in February 1994, before 10,333. That was a rematch of their furious first fight in March 1993, when Carbajal got up off the canvas twice and knocked Gonzalez out in the seventh round.

Gonzalez took the third fight last November in a majority-decision victory when, once again, he outboxed Carbajal, who continued to look for a slugfest.

In his last outing, last March before 12,479 at The Pond of Anaheim, Gonzalez knocked out Jesus Zuniga in the fifth round.

This time, others are looking to horn in on his thunder.

“I think I will steal the show,” said Barrera, who also was on the March card and also was received warmly. “I’m well prepared for this guy. I will steal this show.”