SELMA, Calif. – For the first time since 2017, 559 Fights will crown a Heavyweight Champion.
Fresno’s Larry Gonzales puts his unblemished record on the line Saturday, December 14 at the Rainbow Ballroom in Fresno against Lathrop’s Danny Moreno (2-1). Doors open at 6pm, with the first fight starting at 7.
“I knew that Larry was going to be someone who was going to be challenging for a title sooner than later. And that was before I even saw him compete,” said 559 Fights president Jeremy Luchau. “Larry handled some real adversity early in his career and handled better than I’ve seen most handle.”
Gonzales (3-0) had his first two fights cancel the day of event with opponents noshowing.
“He could have very easily said forget this,” Luchau said. “He could have gone with a different promotion. He could have quit. I mean the kid sold tickets and his family was in the crowd ready for him to compete on two different occasions. But he maintained a great attitude, loyalty and believed in us.”
The last time 559 Fights had a heavyweight champion was 559 Fights 57 when Fresno’s Ryan Yates defeated Antonio Jimenez.
In the co-main event, Valley Springs cruiser weight Jason Fonzi will make his second attempt at 559 Fights gold, stepping in to fight Bakersfield’s Tristan Hatfield.
“Fonzi has competed for us three times and is becoming one of those amateur veterans that is about ready for the professional ranks,” Luchau said of the 5-3 fighter that has fought at 205, 230 and heavyweight. “He’s all over Northern California fighting and gaining experience, fighting the toughest fights he can.”
Fonzi started his career 4-0 before suffering three straight losses. He most recently picked up a technical knockout win in September to earn another shot at the title.
Meanwhile, Hatfield is a transplant from Virginia where he amassed a 3-2 record. “For some reason fight fans love the big fellas. And for whatever reason we haven’t had a lot of cruiserweight and heavyweight titleist over the years,” Luchau said. “This should be a good show for the fans.”
In a pair of special feature bouts Fresno middleweight Jared Velasquez (3-4) takes on Porterville’s Omar Renau (2-2) and Lindsay lightweight Mark Felix (3-3) fights Oakland’s Ceu Bik Thawng (0-1-1).
“We are really working hard at trying to develop guys and get them ready to fight for titles,” Luchau said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you see some of these guys on the top portion of the card fighting for titles in the near future.”
Luchau also noted a key bantamweight showdown between Madera’s Andrew
Robles (1-1) against Selma’s Sebastian Gomez (1-1).
In other fights; Kerman lightweight Hipolito Leon (1-4) fights Bakersfield’s Jeramy Titsworth (1-0), Fresno featherweight Cameron McKinney (0-1) takes on Oakland’s Lwin Oo (0-2), Fresno welterweight Tyler Milburn (0-1) fights Encino’s Danny-George Kalloghlian (0-0), Kingsburg bantamweight Jacob Banuelos (0-0) debuts against Porterville’s Jared Jennings (0-0), Madera light heavyweight Eduard Mercado (1-1) is back in action against Theo Haig (0-0), Madera bantamweight weight Devontaye Martinez (0-0) debuts against Bakersfield’s Deon Martinez, San Diego featherweight Kelton Tabor (0-0) fights Parlier’s Andrew Carrasco (0-0)
and the show opens with Fresno heavyweight Brian Kelly (0-1) against Bakersfield’s Harley Morgan (0-0).
The event will also host three grappling matches.