Isaac Dogboe Edges Joet Gonzalez in a Grudge Match
In their latest at bat, featherweight fighters Joet Gonzalez (25-3, 15 KO’s) and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe (24-2, 15 KO’s) went to war under the hot lights of the Grand Casino located in Hinckley, Minnesota. For Gonzalez, this was a must-win battle to continue his quest to achieve a world title. If he does get another shot, it will be his third.
In his first attempt at the WBO featherweight title, he was defeated by Shakur Stevenson by way of unanimous decision. Two fights later, versus Emmanuel Navarrete he was once again toppled by UD. So, if Gonzalez hoped to maintain his #1 (WBO) and #4 (WBC) rankings, it was imperative that he best Dogboe.
For Dogboe’s part, the one-time WBO super bantamweight champion was aiming to keep his current win streak in order. After suffering back-to-back losses to Emmanuel Navarrete in 2018 and 2019, Royal Storm rebounded with three straight victories versus Chris Avalos, Adam Lopez and Christopher Diaz. Currently ranked #2 (WBO), #5 (WBC) and #8 (IBF), Dogboe stood in prime position to overtake Gonzalez and put himself in line for a third shot at Emmanuel Navarrete. Ironically, Navarrete has defeated Gonzalez, Dogboe and Dogboe’s last opponent, Christopher Diaz.
NEVER SAY DIE!
The bout opened with a slow and easily forgettable round fought at range. Each fighter measured the other and did not overcommit to anything. In the second period however, both Dogboe and Gonzalez got really cozy rumbling on the inside real quick. The change in geography resulted in an instant increase in action. As the volume increased, it was the feistier and more accurate Royal Storm that seemed to be winning the day. It was also evident that Dogboe was heavily investing in hurting the body early.
Just as it appeared Dogboe was taking control, Gonzalez nailed him with a looping right hook that affected him to open the fourth. While Royal Storm was not badly wobbled, Gonzalez was clearly the ring general from that point to the conclusion of the round. By the conclusion of the sixth, Dogboe was giving indication that the rapid pace of the match was starting to bother him.
Just as the bout was beginning to lose steam, Royal Storm, first bit down on his mouthpiece, and took the fight to the phonebooth in the ninth. Gonzalez was willing to oblige which led to a lively and action-packed round. The two would go on to duke it out right down to the final bell. When the final cards were read, the judges awarded Isaac Dogboe the win by way of split decision to the tune of 96-94 (Gonzalez), 96-94 twice (Dogboe). With the win, Dogboe has taken possession of the WBO International featherweight title. The bout was also a WBC featherweight title eliminator. Armed with those accolades, Royal Storm is in prime position to press for a third fight with WBO featherweight champion Emmanuel Navarrete or even newly crowned WBC champ Rey Vargas.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
By: Bakari Simpson
