Dogboe to reignite world title hopes in Gonzalez showdown on Saturday

It will be a make-or-break affair for Ghana's Isaac Dogboe as he comes up against the reigning World Boxing Organisation (WBO) International featherweight champion, Joet Gonzalez, at the Grand Casino, Hinckley, Minnesota on Saturday, July 23, 2022.

Dogboe (23-2, 15KOs), who is often referred to as the "Royal Storm," would look to wrestle the WBO International Featherweight title from the American boxer and set up a trilogy against the reigning WBO World featherweight champion, Emanuel Navarrete.

Dogboe, since his double loss against Emanuel Navarrete, has had impressive wins against the likes of Chris Avalos, Adam Lopez, and beat Christopher Diaz for the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) featherweight title.

The Ghanaian boxer, in a press conference last month, expressed his optimism about recording a seventh-round TKO against his opponent, who was yet to receive his first knockout.

This fight is very important to me, and it is very important for me to prepare myself very well for the bout. It is not going to be an easy fight. I pray to God to make it easy for me and knock him out before round seven, "Dogboe said.

The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has sent a goodwill message to Dogboe ahead of the bout, expressing their confidence in him becoming a two-time world champion.

"As the statutory body in charge of regulation, promotion, organisation and development of boxing in Ghana, we promise to support you both physically and spiritually for you to win this crucial fight for mother Ghana.

"The GBA, by this goodwill message, wishes to encourage all Ghanaians, especially the boxing fraternity, to remember Isaac Dogboe in their prayers to help him triumph in the ring on Saturday. 

“Dogboe, we know you would fight tirelessly for mother Ghana and raise our flag very high," a statement said.

Dogboe, who is a former WBO World Super Bantamweight champion would enter Saturday's bout as the firm favourite, but Gonzalez's boxing prowess cannot be underestimated.

The fight is being promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Cory Rapacz’s Rapacz Boxing and is scheduled to be aired on ESPN.