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Jonathan Gonzalez & Joshua Pagan Camp Notes
Camp is in the books for both headliners. With fight week
approaching ahead of their Sunday, June 14 showdowns at GLC
Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids, WBA Interim Flyweight
World Champion Jonathan "Bomba" González (29-4-1, 14 KOs)
has wrapped a full training camp in Puerto Rico, while
co-main and hometown WBO NABO Lightweight Champion Joshua "JJ"
Pagán (15-0, 5 KOs) closed out his preparation in Florida.
Gonzalez is set to face the undefeated, hard-charging
Abraham "Hammer" Perez (14-0 7KOs), and Pagan returning home
to defend not just his belt, but his city against Rodolfo
Bustamante Salazar (22-1-1 12 KOs) in front of the crowd
that has watched him rise.
Coming off an intensive training camp in Puerto Rico, the
35-year-old two-time world champion Gonzalez, who has more
than 30 professional bouts under his belt, looks to continue
to prove that experience reigns supreme. As evidenced by his
tremendous performance against young prospect Yankiel
Rivera, Gonzalez looks to continue to prove that he can
humble the division’s rising talent and build on his
reputation as a “prospect killer.”
"One of the big things I have is my intelligence in the
ring," Gonzalez said. "I can move, I can box, I can fight
inside and outside. That confuses a lot of prospects.
They’ve just been fighting basic fighters. I've fought tough
guys from Japan, El Salvador, Cuba and beyond who bring
different skills and abilities that I've been able to adjust
to. This is not my first time around the block."
After dominating the 108-pound division with multiple title
defenses, Gonzalez has found the move up to flyweight to be
a complete rejuvenation, arriving at the end of this camp
with a level of energy he hasn't felt in years.
"I feel very comfortable right now," Gonzalez said. "I'm
eating three meals a day plus two snacks. I love M&Ms — I
can't have many, but I'll have two or three peanut M&Ms a
day. I'm 10 pounds out, drinking a lot of water, and I don't
need a sauna suit at all. Coming up four pounds has added to
my energy. It's been a tremendous game changer for me."
To ensure his preparation mirrored the specific challenges
ahead, Gonzalez surrounded himself with elite sparring
partners capable of mimicking his opponent's rapid pace and
technical sharpness.
"This camp I've had guys like Oscar Collazo (14-0 11KOs) and
Juan Zayas (13-1 10 KOs), one of the top prospects in Puerto
Rico," Gonzalez said. ‘Both of them bring the kind of speed
and movement I see on my opponent's tape, so it was crucial
to get work that replicates that as closely as possible.
They have the quickness and the ring IQ, which allows me to
focus on how I'm going to control the fight."
Gonzalez recognizes the ambition driving his challenger but
remains entirely unfazed by the narrative of the hungry
young contender, pointing instead to a level of conditioning
and resilience that cannot be replicated by desire alone.
"A lot of these fighters come in hungry, but he’s not going
to beat me just because of that," Gonzalez said. "He and all
these other guys trying to make a name for themselves want
the same thing—they want to make a statement and take
everything you’ve worked for. But I’m not one of those older
fighters who is just going to lie down and take a loss. I'm
not letting anyone outwork me. In camp, I’ve pushed my
conditioning to the point where I could go 12 or even 15
rounds. If my Dmitriy called me right now and told me we're
doing 15 rounds, I would say yes right away. I wouldn't care
because I’m ready. Yes, I see a hungry fighter, but at the
end of the day, his game is basic and I don't see him taking
what I have.
With a spotless professional ledger, undefeated lightweight
Joshua "JJ" Pagan (15-0, 5 KOs) is coming off a masterful
performance on February 10 at GLC Live at 20 Monroe, where
he defeated Brian Jimenez (18-3 10 KOs) via a dominant
10-round unanimous decision.
Pagan is jumping straight back into action. He returns home
to the same venue on June 14, this time squaring off against
the dangerous and experienced Rodolfo Bustamante Salazar
(22-1-1, 12 KOs).
To prepare for his upcoming WBO NABO Lightweight defense,
Pagan locked in for his entire training camp in Florida
under the guidance of his father Tony, leveraging the elite
local boxing scene and intense climate to prime his body for
a showdown in front of his hometown crowd.
"We decided to go back to Florida for camp, and there is
just an incredible amount of elite work out there," Pagan
said. "The weather is also a huge plus because it's much
more predictable than back home in Michigan. Training in
that Florida heat and humidity makes it so much easier to
melt off my walk-around weight."
For Pagan, returning to GLC Live at 20 Monroe carries an
emotional charge that goes far beyond the ropes. While the
hometown pressure brings massive expectations, it is Pagan’s
willingness to chase risk that he believes separates him
from the rest of the contenders climbing the division.
"The energy of my homecoming in February was unreal—almost
everyone from Grand Rapids came out, and having my family
there gave me goosebumps," Pagan reflected. "Getting to do
it again in front of them is a great feeling, but what truly
separates me is my willingness to take on challenges.
There's no growth and no improvement without them. You have
to push yourself because that's what gets you ready for the
championship level."
That dedication to seeking out challenges was proven in his
breakthrough victory over Maliek Montgomery, a fight where
many doubted the Grand Rapids native, but one he knew he was
entirely ready for.
"For the Montgomery fight, a lot of people were surprised I
won the way I did, but I wasn't," Pagan said. "Mentally and
physically, I knew I was prepared to go to war in there and
that's exactly what I did. This next fight is no different."
In Rodolfo Bustamante Salazar, Pagan meets a battle-tested,
come-forward fighter in the Mexican tradition — a style he
says only adds to the intrigue. Pagan is well aware Salazar
arrives hot, riding a first-round knockout in May and a high
finish rate.
"He's coming to fight, and he's coming to win," said Pagan.
"Mexican fighters will take 20 shots just to land one good
one. You have to come out on your P's and Q's. Cautious, but
adjusting as you go. I'm going in there prepared for
whatever he brings to the table. It’s an exciting fight, but
I'm going to stick to my game plan and do what I have to do
to come out victorious."
Driven by a commitment to transforming Michigan back into a
premiere hub for elite prizefighting, Salita Promotions
lands in Grand Rapids for its fourth straight regional
event, and its third event in Michigan in under six months.
This ongoing revival is fueled by the collaborative push
between Dmitriy Salita and DAZN, a partnership dedicated to
providing homegrown fighters with a global platform and
legitimate title fights. By consistently drawing the
national boxing spotlight to the area and upgrading the
local fight scene, this upcoming card further cements the
state's reputation as a vital destination for major
televised boxing.
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