Jorge Luis González (born October 19, 1964) (DOB disputed) is a former heavyweight boxing contender and prospect born in Havana, Cuba. He won the gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1987 Pan American Games and the former WBO Latino Heavyweight Champion. On June 17, 1995, the big puncher González became the first Cuban boxer to challenge for a heavyweight world title when he fought WBO champion Riddick Bowe at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Amateur González compiled an Amateur Record of 22013. His highlights include: Super Heavyweight Gold Medalist at the 1983 Pan-American Games in Caracas, Venezuela. Super Heavyweight Gold Medalist at the 1987 Pan-American Games in Indianapolis, United States. His results were: Defeated Riddick Bowe (United States) 3:2 Defeated Lennox Lewis (Canada) 4:1 Lost to Lennox Lewis at the 1987 North American Championships in Toronto, Canada, by decision.
After an outstanding amateur career in Cuba, where he defeated the likes of Teofilo Stevenson, Tyrell Biggs, and Craig Payne, he defected during a Cuban Team event in Finland, in 1991.
Pro He reached the US and turned professional in Miami in June 1991. His progress as a professional was severely hindered by González's refusal to co-operate with trainers or training, feeling as a top Cuban amateur there was nothing he could be taught. He went through several different trainers during his first few years as a pro.
At 6'7, he towered over his opposition, and the majority of his fights featured the huge Gonzalez crudely clubbing his victims to defeat. Although he was criticised for not fighting anyone of note, at the time he was a genuinely feared contender and top-class opponents were reticent to fight him.
His most notable results in accumulating a 23-0 (22 KO's) record were his 10-round beating and TKO of Renaldo Snipes, a first-round KO of Phil Brown, and a one punch, two-round KO of Mike Evans, Evans's first defeat in ten years.
In June 1995, after a heated build up, he fought hated arch rival Riddick Bowe in Las Vegas, for the WBO Heavyweight championship. Bowe exposed González for his limitations and lack of development, savagely pounding the Cuban before knocking him clean out in the 6th round.
In 1996 González returned, seemingly out of shape, for a high-profile fight with ex-champ Tim Witherspoon in New York. Gonzalez blew his chance of redemption, as Witherspoon used his superior skills and big power to take González apart, decking him twice and knocking him out in five rounds, issuing an even more complete defeat than Bowe had done.
Later that year González quit midway through a fight with trial horse Ross Puritty, ending his term as a contender.
In 1997 hot prospect and equally giant Michael Grant blew him away in one round, although in 1999 a new and improved González resurfaced, in-shape and more polished, bombing out Alex Stewart in two rounds and outpointing ex-champ Greg Page over ten.
A Mike Tyson fight failed to materialise as Tyson-lookalike Cliff Couser demolished the Cuban in three rounds in 2000. In 2001 González lost to Joe Mesi in four, and his career was effectively dead in 2002 when last minute sub Derek Bryant walked over him in one round.
His only title was the WBO Latino Heavyweight title in which he defeated Daniel Eduardo Neto by Points decision.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes39Loss31–8Derek BryantTKO1 (10), 18 Jan 200238Loss31–7Joe MesiTKO4 (10), 27 Apr 200137Loss31–6Cliff CouserTKO3 (10), 5 Aug 200036Win31-5Bradley RoneUD83 Jun 200035Win30-5Greg PageUD1014 Nov 199934Win29–5Tommy MartinTKO9 (10), 25 Jul 199933Win28-5Alex StewartTKO2 (10), 6 Jun 199932Win27-5Rodolfo MarinTKO4 (10), 18 Apr 199931Win26-5Josh GormleyTKO10 (10), 7 Nov 199830Loss25–5Paea WolfgrammMD815 Aug 199829Loss25–4Michael GrantTKO1 (12), 7 Nov 199728Win25–3Daniel Eduardo NetoPTS1219 Apr 199727Loss24–3Ross PurittyTKO7 (10), 5 Dec 199626Loss24–2Tim WitherspoonTKO5 (10), 10 May 199625Win24–1Jason WallerTKO4 (10), 30 Sep 199524Loss23–1Riddick BoweKO6 (12), 17 Jun 199523Win23–0Brian ScottTKO2 (10), 11 Mar 199522Win22–0Tui ToiaTKO2 (10), 18 Nov 199421Win21–0Olian AlexanderRTD7 (10), 5 Nov 199420Win20–0Calvin JonesTKO4 (10), 31 Aug 199419Win19–0Mike Ronay EvansKO2 (10), 25 Jun 199418Win18–0Mike RouseKO1 (10), 25 Feb 199417Win17–0Renaldo SnipesTKO10 (10), 6 Nov 199316Win16–0Kimmuel OdumKO2 (10), 17 Aug 199315Win15–0Dwayne HallTKO1 (8), 22 May 199314Win14–0Mike WhiteTKO4 (10), 13 Mar 199313Win13–0Larry DavisTKO2 (8), 26 Dec 199212Win12–0Philipp BrownKO1 (8), 6 Oct 199211Win11–0Mike AceyTKO1 (10), 26 Sep 199210Win10–0Michael GreerRTD2 (6), 19 Jun 19929Win9–0David GravesPTS821 May 19928Win8–0Tyrone ArmstrongKO2 (6), 18 Apr 19927Win7–0Mike GansTKO5 (6), 15 Mar 19926Win6–0Benji SmithTKO1 (6), 13 Dec 19915Win5–0Mark GeorgeTKO2 (6)23 Nov 19914Win4–0Sam AdkinsKO2 (6)6 Sep 19913Win3–0Larry FortnerTKO1 (4)30 Jul 19912Win2–0Adolfo MorellTKO2 (4)10 Jul 19911Win1–0William CampudaniTKO3 (4)21 Jun 1991
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