Jhonny Gonzalez-Jorge Arce confirmed for Oct. 4th

Jorge Arce just couldn't stay retired. We've seen it many times. After being knocked out by Nonito Donaire in December 2012, the 35 year-old veteran said he would hang 'em up and call it a career, and it was indeed a very good career. But the retirement didn't last very long.

Less than one year after calling it quits, he felt that familiar itch again (whether it be for glory, love, or money) and was determined to get back in the mix. He's fought, and won, three times since he proved he had very little left in the tank against Donaire -- though many of you were probably unaware of that because he was fighting nobodies in Mexico -- and he's now gotten the opportunity to once again vie for a world title against Jhonny Gonzalez. I won't hide the fact that I'm not thrilled with this fight because its abundantly clear to me that Arce is washed up, and will very likely get put back to bed now that he's facing top opposition again.

No, Gonzalez (56-8, 47 KOs) may not be thought of as the dynamo that Donaire was at the time, but he surely has a a great punch, as was evidenced by the crushing left hook that wiped out Abner Mares in August of last year. I would in no way be surprised to see that very same punch have the very same end result for Arce, but, yeah...enough of my thoughts. Lets see what the fighters had to say.

"I will face a strong and experienced fighter, who has won five world titles, so I will prepare as if I am challenging a world champion," Gonzalez said. "Arce throws punches right from the opening bell. He is brave and strong. We anticipate a war in the ring because I will not take even one step back."

Arce is indeed very brave, perhaps too much so for his own good...Oops, I threw my two cents in again.

"I am determined to win and I will win," Arce said. "I am determined to get my sixth belt. I will celebrate win or lose, but defeat does not go through my mind. It will be a tough fight but I trust my talent and my desires. I know perfectly how to fight Jhonny. We know what to do and how to defeat an opponent who has long arms and is very strong."

I'm sure Arce does know what to do, but whether or not his body can physically execute what his brain knows is a whole other story. Almost any retired fighter will tell you that they knew it was the end of the line for them when they knew what to do in the ring, but couldn't get their body to respond in split second situations. Arce has been in a lot of wars and if his body can't respond, as seems to be the case, it will be a short ring night and a long emergency room visit.