Robert Garcia is convinced Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez is ready for a world title shot.
An impressive win over a former world title challenger will validate that.
Gonzalez will square off against Edward Vazquez on Oct. 24 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The 10-round bout will precede the main event bout between Emanuel Navarrete, the WBO and IBF junior lightweight titleholder, and WBC junior lightweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster in a world title unification clash.
Both fights will stream live on DAZN at 5 p.m.
Gonzalez (18-0, 11 knockouts), who resides in Riverside, has emerged as a bona-fide contender at 126 pounds. Gonzalez has impressively passed each test against modest opposition, including fringe contenders and former world title
challengers, to arrive at this point in his career as one to watch in the featherweight division.
The 24-year-old will face a stiff test, on paper, in Vazquez, who has twice challenged for a world title belt. Garcia, who has trained Gonzalez through much of his career, is confident Gonzalez may be a win or two away from earning a world title shot.
“I think Edward (Vazquez) is the perfect challenge for ‘Chop Chop’ right now in his career,” Garcia told The Star. “We all know Albert belongs amongst the best in the featherweight division. Edward has had close fights, two of them, people thought he won. He’s fought two world champions.
“This fight on Oct. 24 is going to show why Albert belongs amongst the best and it will show to the world why he is ready to fight for a world title.”
Garcia has trained several fighters to become contenders and world titleholders. Garcia believes Gonzalez is cut from the same cloth.
“I’ve trained many fighters and ‘Chop Chop’ is one of those special fighters,” said Garcia, who is a 1993 Channel Islands High School graduate and Oxnard’s first world boxing champion. “There are many attributes to become a world champion, which he has. What stands out with ‘Chop Chop’ is he has a lot of discipline and hunger. He has it all.”
Gonzalez has not yet hit his peak as a fighter. He continues to develop, but he has improved significantly. Garcia believes one part of Gonzalez’s skill-set has seen dramatic improvement.
“He’s improved a lot in a lot of areas, but I think ‘Chop Chop’ has become a lot better at working on the inside. His punches to the body and how he sets them up have improved a lot. He knows how to block and counter. That’s a significant improvement I’ve seen in him.”
Vazquez (20-3, 6 KOs), who resides in Fort Worth, Texas, defeated fringe contender Daniel Lugo by unanimous decision in his last bout on June 5 in nearby Arlington. He has won his last three fights since losing to WBO featherweight titleholder Rafael Espinoza on May 4, 2025.s
The 31-year-old suffered two close defeats. Vazquez lost by majority decision to then-IBF junior lightweight titleholder Joe Cordina in November 2023 and by split-decision to Raymond Ford in February 2022. Several thought Vazquez was the clear winner in the fight against Ford.
Ruiz victorious
Another fighter trained by Robert Garcia was victorious over the weekend.
Middleweight Leo Ruiz defeated Cesar Mateo Tapia by unanimous decision in an action fight on Sept. 26 at the Copper Box Arena in London. Scores were 96-94, 96-94 and 97-93 in favor of Ruiz, who improved to 18-1, 9 KOs.
Ruiz, who is originally from Zacatecas, Mexico, and now resides in San Bernardino, has won his last three fights since losing to Elias Haedo in December 2024.
Tapia, who is originally from Tijuana and now resides in Saint Petersburg, Florida, fell to 18-1-1, 11 KOs.
Hernandez returns
Fidencio Hernandez will square off against Daniel Ortiz Nieves on Friday, Oct. 2, in a clash of unbeaten featherweight prospects at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida. The six-round bout will take place on a card co-promoted by Eddie Hearn and BoxLab Promotions that will stream live on DAZN at 5 p.m.
Hernandez (4-0, 3 KOs), who is originally from Oxnard and now resides in Ventura, knocked out Julio Phillip in the opening round of his last bout on Jan. 24. The 27-year-old amateur standout, who is trained by Gilbert Perez, trains out of Risen Gym in Camarillo.
Ortiz Nieves (4-0, 4 KOs) knocked out Contrail Hicks in the first round on Aug. 28. The 20-year-old resides in Naranjito, Puerto Rico.
Francisco A. Salazar covers boxing for The Star. He has covered boxing for Ring Magazine, Boxingscene and Fightnews. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at FSalazarBoxing.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Garcia-trained ‘Chop Chop’ Gonzalez set for next challenge in ring
