Gonzalez Pounds Out Bantamweight Title Defense

The bigger they are, the harder they hit.

So seemed to be the message Jhonny Gonzalez was sending to Fernando Montiel during their World Boxing Organization bantamweight title bout Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Making the most of a height and reach advantage, Gonzalez systematically pounded his way to a surprising split-decision victory and second defense of his crown.

For Gonzalez, who improved to 33-4, it was his 18th consecutive victory. Included in the streak was a knockout two years ago of Montiel’s cousin, Alejandro.

“I wanted to do more, but he didn’t give me the opportunity,” said Gonzalez, implying that Fernando Montiel spent too much time covering up.

Many in the crowd of 2,952 booed when it was announced that judge Marty Denkin had awarded Montiel a 115-113 victory. The other scores were 116-112 and 118-111 in favor of Gonzalez.

Montiel, a former flyweight and two-time super-flyweight champion, had beefed up to 117 pounds, and was trying to gain a third title and become the fourth Mexican fighter to win titles in three weight classes.

He got the better of some exchanges but could not match power with his countryman, who is a natural bantamweight, and dropped to 32-2-1.

“I did very well. I’m very comfortable at this weight,” said Montiel. “The fight was close and could have gone either way.”

Montiel, who is 5-foot-4, spent most of the fight going backward, except when he stopped to trade punches with 5-7 Gonzalez. He was not knocked down or seriously rocked, but during the eighth round Gonzalez connected on an uppercut that made the purple mouse beneath Montiel’s right eye grow a little bigger.

In a WBO super-bantamweight title fight, Daniel Ponce De Leon knocked down Gerson Guerrero in the first round and used a series of combinations to knock him senseless in the second, sending him sprawling to the canvass spewing blood from the mouth and head.

The knockout, coming 1:50 into the round, was not a surprise. De Leon’s scheduled opponent was undefeated Alejandro Barrera, but the Mexican fighter had visa issues and was not allowed into the United States.

Mexico’s Cristobal Cruz was set to replace Barrera but could not make weight, so WBO officials and De Leon agreed to let Guerrero, who had trained for a 10-round bout on Saturday’s card, take a shot at the title. De Leon improved to 28-1 with 26 knockouts.

In a welterweight elimination bout, Paul Williams prevailed in a battle of unbeatens, winning by technical knockout in the 10th round against Walter Dario Matthysse. Williams, who was in control throughout, improved to 29-0 with 21 knockouts. Matthysse fell to 25-1.