TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION: Outside of burnin' love or cactus juice type altered southwestern states, there aren't many finer places to be than Tucson in Springtime. Approximately fifteen miles south of the city, Desert Diamond Casino produced a stirring night of action as Golden Boy Promotions put on another grand show in their ongoing Telefutura series.
 
    
Familiar headliner Jhonny Gonzalez, 117 1/2, defended his WBO Bantamweight title and blasted a classy but worn out Irene Pacheco, 118, into a retirement the bruised challenger promised would be permanent.
 
    
Gonzalez pitched a well composed if uneventful shutout for eight innings before igniting the assembled, packed house swarm of over 1,200 with a wild TKO finish at 1:04 of the ninth round. Early exchanges were relatively close but tentative until the cumulative effect of Gonzalez's long armed body attack took effect and opened Pacheco up for a wicked barrage that drove him through the ropes in a daze.
 
    
Gonzalez patiently used his reach advantage to keep control from the opening bell, but didn't really look like anything special until he saw the opportunity to close the show with a bang. At the point referee Bobby Ferrara waved it off, Gonzales looked spectacular.
 
    
"I knew Pacheco had a respectable punch so I started slow in case I was effected by the time off since my fight with Israel Vasquez (9-16-06)," said Gonzalez, "Actually, the six months off were perfect for me. I feel much stronger and better experienced now."
 
    
Pacheco absorbed some huge whaps at the finish, but didn't look too much the worse for wear afterward, when he announced he was hanging up the gloves. Though it always remains a longshot when fighters say such things after the heat of battle, the thoughtful Pacheco seemed more likely than most to stick to his goodbye plan.
 
    
"He deserved to win," said Pacheco, 33-2 (24), "I wasn't hurt until the second to last round. The body shots hurt the most.Vic Darchinyan surprises you, but Gonzalez is a smarter fighter and hits harder. This is it, I'm retiring. I just turned thirty six and I've only lost two times in the past five years. I've had a good career. I want to use the little money I've made wisely. I'm going back to Colombia to be with my family and study business administration."
 
    
Gonzalez, now 34-5 (29), certainly seemed to have put the loss to Vasquez behind him.
 
    
"It was great to come back to Tucson," said Gonzalez, who was received like a returning homeboy, "With these fans I feel like I'm at my house in Mexico City. I'll never forget I accomplished my dream here (Gonzalez captured his belt against Ratanachai Vorapin in the same ring 10-'05)."
 
    
"I obviously want big fights after this. Somebody like Rafael Marquez, or a rematch with Vasquez. I can do 118 or 122 pounds. It depends on where the money is. It's a business."
 
    
Business was good on the rest of the card. Primo master of ceremonies Lupe Contreras announced to the cheering crowd that a young couple informed him they found the bouts to be such an exciting good sign that they decided to get engaged. Throw in the towell now, buddy.
 
    
In the featured preliminary, Gabriel Martinez,144, 14-0 (7), took an 8 round split decision over Arturo Brambila, 143 1/2, 8-9 (4).
 
    
Local middleweight hero from nearby Nogales, MX, David "The Destroyer" Lopez, 31-12 (21), forced game but out of shape Rocky Montoya, 26-3 (17), to retire after six of their set 10 rounds.    
 
    
After three brutal give and take rounds, Jorge Marquez, 2-0 (1), finished off Ignacio Rivera, 1-1 (1) at :56 of the 4th and final frame of their lightweight, heavy hands brawl.
 
    
Jose Salazar,117 1/2, 3-0 (2), stopped debutant Gerardo Garcia, 114, at 2:15 of the 2nd in their set 4.
 
    
Carlos Barnett, 252, 10-1 (8), took a 6 round split nod over Andrew Greely, 236, 13-15-2 (7).
 
    
Adan Leal, 147, 3-0 (3), KO'd Ramiro Rivera, 146, 4-4 (3), at 2:53 of the 2nd in their set 4.