By Jake Donovan

Jhonny Gonzalez’ one-sided 11th round stoppage of former four-division titlist Jorge Arce may have been a mismatch in the ring, but was a huge success at the box office and in the ratings. More than 10,000 fans were in attendance in Los Mochis, Mexico – Arce’s hometown – and another 28 million viewers tuned in to watch the October 4 title fight.

The bout aired live on Televisa in Mexico and on beIN Sports Español in the United States. The rating serves – and will most likely remain – as the most viewed fight in Mexico in 2014.

Gonzalez (57-8, 48KOs) made the second defense of his second reign as a featherweight titlist, having regained the belt last August with a stunning 1st round knockout of previously unbeaten Abner Mares. His lone other defense came this past May, scoring a technical decision over undefeated challenger Clive Atwell, though in a fight in which the defending titlist – coming off of a nine-month layoff – was not at his best.

The same could not be said on Saturday night, where he was made to look like a world beater. Arce looked like a shell of the fighter who captured the World junior flyweight championship more than a decade ago, and whom has also served as a beltholder at super flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight, in addition to an interim title reign at flyweight.

A win on Saturday by Arce would have earned him the distinction of becoming the first fighter in Mexico’s deep boxing history to capture titles in five weight classes (excluding interim title reigns).

The moment was not to come as the fight was never competitive. In fact, Gonzalez himself recognized that Arce (68-4-2, 49KOs) was so far out of his league that he admits to easing up as the fight went on, as to not brutalize his countryman. He still managed three knockdowns on the night, and dished out just enough punishment to force a stoppage in the 11th round.

Arce insisted afterward that this was likely the final fight of his storied career, although it’s a speech he’s made twice before. Time will tell if he sticks to his word.

As for Gonzalez, the future is still very bright. A three-time titlist in two weight classes, the 33-year old plans to take one more fight – either in December somewhere in Mexico, or in the United States in the 1st quarter of 2015 – before pursuing bigger game. On his radar is a unification bout with Nonito Donaire, who first must get past undefeated knockout artist Nicholas Walters in a dangerous showdown later this month in California.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox