Jhonson Garzon Gonzalez Media TV interview on coaching and MMA

The Jhonson Garzon Gonzalez Media TV interview covered Jhonson Garzon’s hope to fight again by the end of the year or the start of the new year, his work coaching Logan Parker and other fighters, and why a win over Angelo de Vera meant so much with his injured father watching. Speaking with Jose G, the undefeated professional boxer and Canada’s No. 1-ranked Muay Thai fighter also discussed his two MMA fights and why he would choose Thai boxing if he had to keep only one sport.

What did Jhonson Garzon say about boxing, Muay Thai and coaching fighters?

Jhonson Garzon said he began martial arts at about 12, started competing at 16 or 17, and still believes his best fight is ahead of him. Coaching fighters since he was about 21 or 22 has sharpened his understanding of training: watching their successes and setbacks has helped him spot gaps in his own approach.

Early fights and a changing view of his prime

At the time of the conversation, Garzon said he was 28 or about to turn 28. Despite the years he had already spent competing, he felt he was still improving. He recalled plateaus when he was younger, including periods when he felt stuck on a particular problem, but said he now understood martial arts better.

Experience in fights was part of that progress. Garzon gave particular weight to what he had learned by preparing other athletes. As a coach, he said, it is easier to see whether someone is building good habits, falling into destructive ones or making productive use of a training session. He wanted to coach and compete partly because both roles kept him in the gym, where people could see how he trained.

How Dylan Bastian gave Garzon his nickname

Garzon traced “The Don” to his second or third amateur fight. His coach at the time, Dylan Bastian, gave him the name after Garzon fought older opponents in back-to-back bouts. Bastian regarded him as someone he could put on an event when he needed a fighter, Garzon recalled, and compared him to a final boss. Garzon liked the nickname and began using it on Instagram.

His belief that he has more to show remains central to how he sees his career. Garzon put it plainly:

my best fight hasn't happened yet

Why did Jhonson Garzon’s win over Angelo de Vera mean so much to his father?

Jhonson Garzon called his win over Ontario fighter Angelo de Vera his most satisfying moment because his father came to watch despite having fallen from a ladder at work a day or two earlier. Garzon learned about the accident shortly before the fight, then discovered his father had made it to the venue.

The ladder accident before the fight

Garzon was on a good winning streak when he faced de Vera. A couple of hours before the bout, his mother called to say his father had fallen and might have broken his leg. Garzon said his father was all right, but was using crutches when he came to watch. Garzon had not known he was coming.

The news gave him another concern while he prepared to compete. Garzon remembered thinking about how he and his father might both spend the following day on the couch with ice bags if he lost. More importantly, he felt he needed to win in front of him, particularly because his father did not always have time to attend his fights.

His father’s role in combat sports

Garzon said his father had pushed him toward combat sports, even though he had no background in them. His father played soccer instead. Garzon also said he had recently started working in plumbing at the same company as his father, who is a plumber; he did not describe it as a family business. That connection made his father’s unexpected arrival at the de Vera fight all the more personal.

What did Jhonson Garzon say about coaching Logan Parker and his other fighters?

Jhonson Garzon was preparing Logan Parker for a fight in Enoch, Canada, while also coaching boxer Tristan passiren for his first kickboxing match and 14-year-old Yensi for his first fight. He described Parker as an experienced training partner who had recently found more time to commit to competing.

Logan Parker’s preparations in Enoch

Parker runs the Instagram page Mindful Muay Thai and has trained for as long as Garzon, according to Garzon. For much of that time, Parker was not in a position to take time away from work to prepare for a tournament. Garzon said Parker had since built a garage gym and was putting more of his attention into martial arts.

Garzon described Parker as a flexible bantamweight with quick hands who had accompanied him to every gym he had trained at. Parker was due to fight in Enoch in two weeks, Garzon said, against an opponent the organizer had presented as a good matchup. He expected Parker’s skills to be apparent when he competed.

Tristan passiren and Yensi’s first fights

Passiren was moving from boxing into his first kickboxing match. Garzon’s preparation kept his fighter’s boxing foundation while adding body kicks and head-kick defense. Yensi, whom Garzon identified as 14, was also preparing to compete for the first time. Coaching them did not lessen Garzon’s own desire to fight: he said watching his fighters compete gave him that urge all the time.

When does Jhonson Garzon hope to fight again, and would he choose MMA or Muay Thai?

Jhonson Garzon hoped to compete again by the end of the year or the start of the new year, without committing to a specific bout. He was open to a cage or a ring. Although he had fought MMA twice and had recently been active in submission grappling, Thai boxing was the sport he would choose if he could keep only one.

Submission grappling and two MMA fights

Garzon said he had grappled not long before the conversation and had spent more time on submission grappling over the preceding months. He preferred a return to a cage or ring over another grappling match. His two earlier MMA fights had taken place between Muay Thai commitments, he explained, as a way to stay busy rather than as a full change in direction.

Asked to choose among MMA, boxing and Muay Thai for the rest of his life, Garzon chose Thai boxing. His reason was straightforward: he found its training much more enjoyable. That preference did not amount to an announced next fight; he gave no opponent or confirmed date for his return.

What did Jhonson Garzon say about Logan Parker’s support?

Jhonson Garzon credited Logan Parker with supporting other fighters’ careers, including his own, through time and financial commitment. Garzon said he respected people willing to back a fighter’s plans and noted the reversal in their relationship: after Parker helped him over the years, Garzon had become Parker’s coach and supporter.

His thanks extended to the training partners he considered himself lucky to have. Garzon emphasized that support for fighters comes from working people who choose to contribute their resources. That was why Parker’s willingness to invest in others stood out to him, beyond the fight they were preparing for together.

Who is Jhonson Garzon?

Jhonson “The Don” Garzon is an undefeated professional boxer and Canada’s No. 1-ranked Muay Thai fighter. He competes across combat sports and coaches other fighters. His nickname dates to his early amateur fights, when coach Dylan Bastian began calling him “The Don.”