It was a far different look for Orlando Gonzalez, though with the night proving the same result.
The unbeaten featherweight prospect remained perfect as a pro, outpointing Guadalajara’s Diuhl Olguin over eight rounds Friday evening at Osceola Heritage Park (OHP) in Kissimmee, Florida. Scores were 79-73, 79-73 and 80-72 in favor of Gonzalez, a 25-year old southpaw from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
While the scoring was accurate, the effort proved far more laboring for Gonzalez who was fighting for the third time in 2020 and his second appearance at OHP. His previous bout in the venue came this past February with a room full of Boricuas, as the Central Florida hotspot is traditionally sold out whenever All Star Boxing brings boxing to town.
That won’t be the case for quite some time, as the sport is forced to move on largely behind closed doors during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With that came Gonzalez’s second straight fight in a “bubble” environment, having appeared on the June 25 edition of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN in an eight-round win over Luis Porozo at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.
A stiffer challenge was offered on Friday. Olguin fought to engage rather than stink out the joint for the purpose of going rounds as was the case with Porozo in June—and again just one week ago versus Gonzalez’s cousin, unbeaten prospect Henry ‘Moncho’ Lebron. Gonzalez fought with poise, using his jab as a range finder to score with straight left hands.
Olguin enjoyed his best round of the fight in the fourth, cornering Gonzalez and applying pressure along the ropes. Not all of the shots found their way home, though it was enough to momentarily shut down Gonzalez’s attack and force him on the defensive.
Gonzalez resumed control in round five and never really looked back. Olguin (14-14-4, 9KOs) continued to come forward but was short with his jab and right hand as Gonzalez would slide backward in anticipation of the counter shots.
With the bout far out of reach, Olguin began to play more defense down the stretch. Gonzalez patiently used every inch of the ring, poking his foe with a purposeful jab while also working in a lead right hook. Olguin let his hands go late in round seven, eating a left hand and right hook upstairs for his troubles.
The eighth and final round saw Gonzalez pick up the pace in his best effort to close the show in style. The rising featherweight talent raked Olguin with digging body shots, forcing the Mexican journeyman in retreat and removing any thoughts of attempting a bailout surge.
Gonzalez rolls to 16-0 (10KOs), going the distance for his second straight fight after opening the year with a 4th round knockout of Charlie Serrano at OHP this past February on Telemundo. The win is his fourth overall at the venue, though it remains in discussion whether he will be included in the series’ fall season in October.
The bout aired as the chief support to a featherweight clash between Belmar Preciado and Dennis ‘Martillo’ Contreras.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox