The 35 year-old, who defeated Jhonny Gonzalez to win the WBC belt in 2012 on the back of a long reign at 122lbs, bowed out of boxing with a 45-7 record on the back of a stoppage loss to Miguel Roman and says he is happy with his decision to allow the younger generation to take over.
“It is my final decision and the day that I step back on a ring would only be as a corner man,” Ponce De Leon exclusively told World Boxing News.
“Super bantamweight and featherweight have always been divisions with very good boxers and definitely there is some very powerful boxers at this moment, without doubt they will produce very good fights.”
A massive fight being talked about more than most between 122 and 126 pounds is that of feared Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux and Ukrainian amateur legend Vasyl Lomachenko who had been locked in talks recently about a possible catchweight clash.
Ponce De Leon is one of many who hope the two can come to some agreement in the near future to give the fans a super-fight in the lower weights. The two-weight champion also says it’s highly understandable why the encounter has proved tough to make as both sides look for the best deal.
“A lot of fighters avoid Rigondeaux because he is very tough to beat,” he said. “He’s also left handed, has a good punch and excellent technique. When you are very fast and an Olympic champion with great leg mobility, a lot of fighters will not fight you.
“I think making the Rigondeaux v Lomachneko fight at a catchweight is correct as it wouldn’t be fair to give advantage to any of them. I still believe Rigondeaux would come out on top if they fought though because he lands better punches,” Ponce De Leon predicted.
