Tensions rose today at the Parlour Restaurant in midtown Manhattan during a press conference to discuss the back-to-back Team Puerto Rico boxing events this weekend, when hard-punching prospect Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (13-0, 13 KOs) and his opponent, tough veteran Richard Gutierrez, quickly figured out they dislike each other.
“You haven’t fought anybody,” asserted Gutierrez with a growl.
“I’ve fought 13 guys and knocked them all out. You’re going to be #14,” Gonzalez shot back.
Things degenerated back and forth from there until they culminated with:
“He’s a clown. I’m going to destroy him,” from Gonzalez.
“We’ll see in the ring,” came the quick reply from Gutierrez.
Gonzalez and Gutierrez will meet in a 10-round battle for the NABA and WBO Latino Youth Junior Middleweight Championships at Boricua Invasion II, on June 11, at Roseland Ballroom in New York City and televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
In the featured attraction, Team Puerto Rico’s Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (12-0, 10 KOs), of Bayamon, P.R., will meet his toughest foe to date, Dat “Be Dat” Nguyen (17-1, 6 KOs) of Vietnam, in a 10-round featherweight matchup.
Luis Del Valle and Jonathan Gonzalez are members of Team Puerto Rico, the boxing team developed by promoters Gary Shaw, Lou DiBella, Javier Bustillo and Leon Margules in order to group the best young talent on the island on one team.