ɡənzˈɑːlɛz hæd ɐ lˈɑːt ʌv səksˈɛs ɐn ˈæmətʃɚ, wˈɪnɪŋ ðə bɹɐzˈɪl ˈæmətʃɚ tʃˈæmpiənʃˌɪp θɹˈiː tˈaɪmz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti wˈʌn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː æz ɐ tˈiːneɪdʒɚ.
Gonzalez had a lot of success an amateur, winning the Brazil Amateur Championship three times (1969, 1971, 1972) as a teenager.