Each fighter guaranteed a war on Saturday night as they both know that a world title opportunity is next for the winner, who will also take home the vacant WBC Silver Flyweight title.

Below are quotes from the combatants from the final press conference:

ANGEL GONZALEZ (NABF FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION):

I’m ready for December 7. I’m excited, I’ve been training 2-3 times a day and I’m ready for the opportunity.

It’s definitely going to be a war. It’s two Puerto Ricans going head-to-head, so we’re gonna give it all for the fans.  Let the best man win, which will be me because I put the work in every day.  I never doubt myself and I’m ready for the challenge before moving on to a world title.

YANKIEL RIVERA (WBO INTERCONTINENTAL & WBA CONTINENTAL AMERICAS FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION):

This is another big test for me in my short career, but my goal is to be world champion, so we have to come out victorious on Saturday to get the world title shot.  We’re coming with everything to get the victory.

It will be another great fight and a war for all of the fans to enjoy.  He’s a great fighter who will do everything to remain unbeaten, but I’ll give everything to stay undefeated and to get the world title shot.  Sadly, one of us has to lose, but it won’t be me.

For more information, visit cesfights.com.

INFORMATION

ABOUT CES BOXING

CES 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”.

The bout is promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with CES Boxing and will be televised live worldwide on DAZN on a stacked card that begins at 7pm EST.  Tickets on sale here. 

There will be a lot of gold at stake, as the pair battle for Rivera’s WBA Continental Americas and WBO Inter-Continental flyweight titles as well as the vacant WBC Silver Flyweight Championship.

“It’s a dream come true,” says Gonzalez about fighting for multiple titles in Puerto Rico.  “I feel great about it because I’m Puerto Rican.  It’s my heritage.  I wasn’t born there, but my background is all Puerto Rican. This is a blessing”

While the 31-year-old was born and raised in Hartford, CT, his parents are both Puerto Rican and a lot of his family reside on the island. 

“My dad is from Comerio and my mom’s side is from Ponce,” explains Gonzalez.  “I’ll have family from my dad’s side and a few from my mom’s side there too.  My manager is always at a boxing gym in La Perla, so I’ll have a lot of local support there.”

Gonzalez will need that fanfare when he faces Rivera, a 2020 Olympian based in Toa Alta who is being groomed as the next Puerto Rican star.  While ‘El Doctorcito’ only has 6 pro bouts, he is an experienced amateur who has been matched aggressively thus far.

“He’s an Olympian, so I figure he fought a whole bunch of styles as an amateur,” says Gonzalez when assessing his opponent’s experience.  “I feel like they’re moving him at a fast pace because of that experience, but I have more pro rounds.  I have double the fights and the pros are different from the amateurs, so I have an edge there.”

While each pugilist can make a case as to who is more experienced, ‘Set It Off’ considers the biggest difference between them to be conditioning.

“I think the key difference will be that I get stronger as the rounds go,” asserts Gonzalez, who has been training 3 times a day for this fight. “If you see my last 2 to 3 fights, I just keep getting stronger as the rounds go. When I looked at footage of his last 2 fights, he got winded as the rounds progressed.  He slowed down a whole lot by rounds 7, 8, 9, and 10.”

Indeed, in his last 2 victories, Rivera visibly tired as the rounds progressed.  In fact, in his fight against Andy Dominguez, Yankiel was leading handily until a series of right hands sent him reeling in round 9. Rivera was able to weather the storm, but the fight changed dramatically after that sequence. 

“He’s tough,” admits Gonzalez of Rivera.  “Once you get into the world rankings, you have to fight tough guys, but the winner on December 7 will come down to who boxes smarter.”

While Gonzalez concedes that Rivera has performed well against aggressive fighters so far, he believes Yankiel has not faced the type of style that will make him think throughout a fight.

“The guys that he fought are more come forward fighters,” reasons Gonzalez.  “They don’t move their head as much. I feel like I have a better style: I use my jab coming in and I move, so I’ll give him different looks that he hasn’t seen yet.  That’s where I think my advantage is in this fight.”

While Gonzalez plans to box his way to victory, he’ll have to do so against a quick fighter who likes to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, which is something the camp has been focused on.

“I’ve dealt with that style,” says Gonzalez of facing a switch-hitting fighter.  “I fought one guy early in my career that would switch. My last fight was against a southpaw and I’ve been sparring more lefties than righties in this camp. A lefty is harder to find, so I’ve been getting great sparring with a lot of gyms coming down to Four Ropes Boxing where I set up camp in Hartford.  I’ve sparred many lefties for this one, including Carlos Perez.  He’s bigger than me, but he’s a great lefty and he’s helped get me ready.”

Other than their fighting stance, the fighters have more similarities than differences.  Both are unbeaten Puerto Rican prospects, gave common opponent Christian Robles his first 2 losses, and each last fought on June 15, so there is no disparity in activity.

“My last fight had a lot to do with this fight happening,” surmises Gonzalez, who beat Josue Morales at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 15 for the vacant NABF Flyweight title.  “It was a great experience.  I’m grateful to the NABF because it catapulted me up the world rankings, but my main goal is to be a world champion. There’s no letting up until I win a world title.”

That world title opportunity is likely to come with a win over Yankiel Rivera on December 7, which is why Angel Gonzalez is not leaving any stone unturned in this camp.

“I’m humble and I never let my guard down,” says Gonzalez about how meticulous his preparation has been.  “I train hard and I’m ready for whatever he comes with. I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m going to go in there, do my best and come out victorious.  It’s going to be an epic fight and you’ll see me become the new WBA, WBO, and WBC Silver Flyweight Champion that night.”

For more information, visit cesfights.com.

.TICKETS FOR PARO VS. HITCHINS WILL GO ON SALE ON OCTOBER 7The 27-year-old Rivera is handily placed in the rankings at #3 with the WBA, #9 with the WBC and #11 with the WBO, and fights at home for the second time in 2024 having seen off the experienced Victor Sandoval over ten rounds in June in Manati, defending the WBA strap and adding the WBO belt.
 
‘Doctorcito’ will be looking to rubber stamp his World title credentials for a shot in 2025, but Gonzalez is determined to spoil those plans in the biggest fight of his career.  Gonzalez, a Hartford, Connecticut native of Puerto Rican descent, won the NABF Flyweight title in June and can catapult himself into world title contention with a victory over Rivera in December.  The 31-year-old is currently ranked #22 with the WBC.
 
“The goal for which I embarked on this wonderful journey full of hope is closer than ever,” said Rivera. “By now, there are no easy fights, and each fight gets me closer to that cherished and long-awaited opportunity for a World title. On December 7, I will be putting my titles on the line, but I will also be disputing the WBC Silver title.
 
“This victory will propel me right at the door of that World title opportunity, and there is no better place to do this than in front of my people at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.  Angel González is a dangerous opponent and has all my respect.  But I was born to become champion of the world and no one, absolutely no one, will stop me short of my destiny.
 
“I want to give special thanks to Matchroom, my manager Peter Kahn and my adviser Miguel Ortega, who have, without reservations, put their trust in me.  I will not let you down. See you all on December 7 where the great one’s fight: the Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rico!”
 
“This fight means everything to me,” said Gonzalez.  “It puts me one fight closer to my goal of becoming a World champion.  The best thing about it is, I’m fighting in my island of Puerto Rico.  I was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, but Puerto Rico will always be my home. My roots, just like my opponents’ are here.
 
“The Boxing energy in Puerto Rico is unparalleled and it will give me more confidence and motivation to show all my people how great I am.  I can’t wait for the opportunity.  I want to thank CES Boxing and my promoter Jimmy Burchfield, Sr. for making this happen.  I won’t let you guys down.  See you December 7.”
 
After being announced on the card in June, Marc Castro and Stephanie Pineiro have confirmed opponents for the night, with Castro (13-0 8 KOs) tackling Agustin Quintana (20-1-2 13 KOs) over ten rounds at Lightweight, and Pineiro (7-0 2 KOs) meeting Ogleidis Suarez (30-5-1 14 KOs) over eight rounds Welterweight.
 
Those clashes are part of a stacked undercard that is led by a mouth-watering Super-Featherweight clash between Henry Lebron and Christopher Diaz.
 
Lebron (19-0 10 KOs) returns to his homeland for the first time in five years and does so in the biggest night of his career, as the #4 in the IBF looks to press his claims for World title action in 2025 with a big win over a domestic rival and pick up the vacant IBF Latino and WBO NABO titles in the process. Diaz (29-5 19 KOs) sits pretty at #7 in the WBA, has already tasted World title action and is hungry to do so again, and ‘Pitufo’ puts his WBA Continental Latin America title on the line in a pivotal clash for the immediate futures of both.
 
Jalil Hackett will aim to show once again that he has no fear in the infancy of his career as he travels to Puerto Rico for a title defense. Hackett (9-0 7 KOs) was impressive in a big step up to win the WBA Continental Americas Welterweight title on his Matchroom debut against Peter Dobson in July, and ‘Major’ will defend that title in another real test against Puerto Rico’s former amateur standout Jose Roman (13-1 6 KOs)
 
Puerto Rico’s Juan Zayas (10-0-1 8 KOs) takes on Dominican Geraldo Valdez (16-2 11 KOs) over eight rounds at Bantamweight and Matchroom’s Puerto Rican talent William Ortiz (6-0 4 KOs) faces fellow unbeaten Puerto Rican Lionell Colon (6-0 3 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Lightweight.