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| SPRINGFIELD, MA – There will be a new face on the scene at Mohegan Sun Arena on February 15, when Carlos “El Gallo” Gonzalez (14-0, 13 KOs) defends his NABA Featherweight Championship against upset specialist Alex Espinoza (23-6-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round contest. The bout co-headlines CES Boxing’s “Love and War”, a stacked pro-am show that will be televised live worldwide on DAZN. Tickets for ‘Love and War’ start at $77 and are going fast. Purchase yours now at CESfights.com, TicketMaster, or the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors open at 4pm, with the first amateur bout scheduled for 5pm. Few people realize how many lives boxing saves. In Carlos Gonzalez’s case, boxing entered his life only 2 and a half years ago when he was going through a difficult time. “A series of things happened in my life that I’m dealing with to this day,” admits the Springfield native of Puerto Rican descent. “I’m fighting a case and I don’t know whether or not I’ll end up going away, but I hope I don’t by the grace of God.” The incident marked a turning point in Carlos’ life, and when he didn’t know where to turn, boxing became his refuge. “When I caught the case in 2022, I just didn’t know where to go to,” confesses Gonzalez. “I was always athletic, and my sister’s husband, who I consider my older brother, was always drilling into my head that I should start boxing. I’m good at a lot of sports, so in April 2022, I walked into a gym, laced up gloves for the first time and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve been training 3 times a day, every day.” The sweet science provided the then 25-year-old with not just a distraction from his troubles, but the realization that boxing was something he was naturally good at. However, talent alone was not going to make up for the fact that ‘El Gallo’ was a novice in a sport that many take up when they’re very young. “I never fought amateur, so my coach has me sparring a lot of people who are at a world class level,” says Gonzalez, who trains out of Springfield alongside junior middleweight prospect Anthony ‘ATV’ Velasquez. “I spar with them every day to make up for my lack of amateur experience.” What Carlos found out early on is that he has a lot of natural power, winning his first 7 fights by knockout. “I always felt that I had power, but I didn’t know for sure until I started boxing,” says El Gallo, who also quickly realized that to become a world champion, power alone was not going to be enough. “When I started boxing, people just said ‘Oh, he’s strong, but he only has power,’ so I take pride in developing my boxing skills. I don’t just have power. I have good defense and I have tremendous footwork from playing basketball and baseball my whole life.” Adding boxing skills to his devastating power, Gonzalez amassed a record of 14-0 with 13 knockouts and set himself up for a NABA title shot, which came last September against fellow Massachusetts prospect Duke Micah. All of Gonzalez’s work came together in that fight, as the Puerto Rican dominated Micah for 7 rounds before stopping the Worcester resident in round 8. A stay busy first round knockout in December brings us to the present, where Gonzalez is preparing to defend his title against tough Nicaraguan Alex Espinoza. “Training is going amazing,” said Gonzalez last week at the ‘Love and War’ press conference at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den. “I train as if I’m about to fight God, so it doesn’t really matter who’s across the ring from me. I’m laser focused and grateful to be here.” In Espinoza, Gonzalez will be facing a seasoned veteran who has shared the ring with the likes of former world champion Andrew Moloney and highly regarded prospect Peter McGrail. The Nicaraguan is currently on a 2-fight winning streak, besting previously undefeated Mexican prospect Gustavo Rio last May. “I watched his victory over Gustavo Rio, which was an upset,” notes Gonzalez when asked to assess his opponent. “I know that he’s real game. He can fight. He’s a tough guy and I’m looking to test my skills against him. I guarantee you I’m going to bring it to him, and he’s Nicaraguan, so I know he’s going to bring it to me. May the best man win.” If all goes according to plan on February 15, Gonzalez hopes to keep marching forward, setting an example for young people who, like him, have faced tough times and can be inspired by seeing someone turn his life around. “I’m just trying to change my life and give young kids and even people my age hope,” says Gonzalez. “I’m letting them know that it’s never too late for you to do something you want to do. Put your right foot forward and take the first step. That’s it. All you got to worry about is putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.” Before you know it, you could be defending a championship title in front of thousands of fans at Mohegan Sun Arena like ‘El Gallo’. For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.INFORMATION ABOUT CES BOXINGCES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast. Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”. ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency. In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711. |
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