“HEY Wasim, I’ll see you at the weigh-in on Friday. Dayan will make weight at 10 a.m. I also have Jadier Herrera with me.”
As a boxing writer, those are the type of calls you want. On the other end of the line was Scott Hughes — manager of names like Jack Turner, Jadier Herrera, and Dayan Gonzalez, and one of the men behind People’s Fighters Management.
I first met Hughes a few months back, when he was in Bangkok searching for sparring for rising prospect Jack Turner, who was preparing to step up against Argentina’s Nicolas Agustin Muguruza. The team had set up camp in the City of Smiles, and the energy around them was unmistakable.
This week the assignment was different. Sparring wasn’t on the menu. Instead, the focus was squarely on the IBO featherweight champion, Dayan Gonzalez, who was headlining a Highland Boxing promotion in Bangkok — the first time the promotion would stream live on TrillerTV.
Coffee with the Champions
I caught up with Gonzalez and his team at a coffee shop after the weigh-in. Over introductions and steaming cups, the Cuban champion spoke about his camp, which had been based on Koh Samui, an island in southern Thailand.
“My training has been good,” Gonzalez told me. “It was strong, but I felt comfortable. I had many different sparring experiences.”
Hughes expanded on the point:
“We brought in sparring partners from the Philippines and Mexico — different weights, different styles. It’s his first time in Thailand, and he’s enjoying it.”
The assignment was clear: a 10-round non-title fight against Filipino southpaw Rhonvex Capuloy, the “Body Snatcher.” With 10 knockouts in 13 wins — alongside three losses and three draws — Capuloy was no stranger to hard luck, having been on the wrong side of close decisions before.
Gonzalez was respectful but confident:
“This guy has a good record. But I am strong, and I am coming to win. This is my mentality. I know he likes to come forward, but I have control.”
Since turning professional in 2021, Gonzalez has wasted no time, racking up an 18-0 record with 16 knockouts in just four years. He already knows what it takes to make short work of a dangerous opponent — his world title-winning performance against Thailand’s Wira Mikham ended in a single round.
Joining us at the table was trainer Joe McNally, a passionate boxing man with unwavering belief in his fighters. The camaraderie within the camp was impossible to miss.
When asked about future plans or potential opponents, Hughes kept his cards close:
“We can’t really call any names out yet as we have two or three big names down the pipeline.”
The Other Side of the Table: Jadier Herrera
After speaking with Gonzalez, I turned my attention to Jadier Herrera. The 23-year-old lightweight, nicknamed One Billion, is the grandson of Cuban boxing legend Ángel Herrera Vera. Signed to Queensberry Promotions, Herrera is known for his flamboyant style and natural showmanship.
At the time of our interview he was ranked No. 2 in the WBC lightweight rankings (he has since moved to No. 4), just a step away from a world title shot in one of boxing’s deepest divisions. The contrast with Gonzalez is striking.
Gonzalez is reserved, letting his fists do the talking. Herrera, by comparison, thrives in the spotlight — brash, confident, and entertaining. Yet both men share the same quiet certainty in their abilities.
When asked what sets him apart from other lightweights, Herrera’s answer was simple:
“Mentally, I’m different. I’m 23 years old but my mind is like a 40-year-old. I train hard.”
I pressed him on maturity. He smiled and added:
“Yeah, you feel me? When I go inside the ring, I’m not going to play — I’m going to win, because I’m always training hard.”
Hughes was quick to underline the point:
“Jadier is only 23 years old, but he’s not a prospect — he’s a world-level fighter. Next year we’ll call out names: the Shakurs, the Tanks, we want the best. Ricardo Nuñez is number 3 in the WBC rankings, Jadier is number 2. Whoever wins goes to number 1. Other boxers his age duck and dive the big names, but not him. He’s ready now.”
When I asked Herrera what drives him, his answer was brutally honest:
“You want to know the truth? Cash. I want to fight for money. When people say they’re boxing for love, it’s bullshit. I want to fight for money, always money. If you don’t have money, you end up like fighters from the past — retired with nothing. This is real life.”
His ring name says it all: One Billion.
Hughes later reflected on guiding both fighters:
“Our company is called People’s Management Fighters Group in Dubai. The people who formed it, they did all the hard work. I’ve come in at the back end. With Jack Turner over the last 12 months, they’ve been building this for 4–5 years.
These fighters came from the slums of Cuba and ended up in Dubai — totally different lifestyles. They’ve had to adjust, but they’re moving in the right direction. These aren’t prospects. Dayan Gonzalez is an IBO world champion. Jadier Herrera, just 23, has already called out Shakur Stevenson. They’re world contenders.
If they don’t win their first shot against the likes of Nick Ball or Shakur Stevenson, they’ll come again. And between you and me, they will both become world champions. People’s Fighters only sign world champions.”
Fight Day — One Night in Bangkok
At World Siam Stadium, the atmosphere backstage was tense but focused. Gonzalez sat in a makeshift locker room — typical of Thai venues — as Joe McNally meticulously wrapped his hands. Around him, the team buzzed with energy and quiet camaraderie.
As Gonzalez began working the pads, the power behind every shot was unmistakable. Each thud echoed down the corridor, reminding everyone why he’s considered one of the division’s most dangerous punchers. With the previous fight ending in a knockout, Hughes’ young son darted out back: “Dad, Dad, the fight ended in a knockout!” It was time for Gonzalez to make the walk.
Facing Rhonvex Capuloy in the ring, the size difference was immediately clear. Gonzalez looked a massive featherweight. At the opening bell, the Cuban marched forward, cutting the ring and unloading hooks and uppercuts, doubling up the left hand and driving Capuloy back.
In round two, the southpaw began to find success with a precise straight left. Just as he seemed to be settling into rhythm, Gonzalez cracked him with a crushing right hook that sent him crashing to the canvas. Somehow, Capuloy survived to the bell.
Round three brought pure drama. Both men traded toe-to-toe, exchanging short hooks and uppercuts in the pocket, bringing the Bangkok crowd to its feet. By the end of the round, a cut had opened above the Filipino’s left eye.
In the fourth, the exchanges continued. Capuloy landed his straight left, Gonzalez answered with thudding shots of his own. Then a sharp left hook dropped Capuloy again. As the referee counted, trainer Christopher Tepora climbed through the ropes and threw in the towel. He had seen enough.
Capuloy showed nothing but heart, ready to give it all against a heavy-handed champion. But Gonzalez was simply too strong. He marched forward with the relentless menace of a lighter version of Gennady Golovkin, every punch designed to inflict damage. The power is real — and with the team he has around him, big things can be expected from the reigning IBO world champion.
One night in Bangkok. Four rounds that had the entire crowd on their feet. People’s Fighters are creating People’s Champions.
