Wilfredo G—mez


Wilfredo G—mez (born October 29, 1956) was a boxer who was a three time
world champion. Nicknamed 'Bazooka', G—mez had, according to Ring Magazine,
one of the highest knockout win percentages of all time, winning 87.5
percent of all his bouts by knockout. G—mez conquered the world amateur
championship in 1974 in Havana, Cuba.

Coming from Puerto Rico, however, meant that the big bucks and exposure of
the American media would not come easy, and G—mez had to move to Costa Rica,
from where he began to tour all of Central America in hopes of finding
matches. His professional debut came in Panama City, Panama, where he fought
to a draw with Jacinto Fuentes. After this un-auspicious debut, he reeled
off a streak of 33 knockout wins in a row, including wins over Fuentes, who
was dispatched in 2 rounds in a rematch, and future world champion Alberto
Davila, who lasted 9 rounds before being defeated.

G—mez's meteoric rise through his knockout streak caught the eye of the
World Jr Featherweight champion Dong Hyung Yen, who travelled to San Juan,
Puerto Rico to defend his crown against G—mez Yen had a promising start,
dropping G—mez 30 seconds into the bout, but G—mez picked himself up and
eventually won the crown, his first world title, with a 12th round knockout.
His first defense took him to the Far East, where he beat former world
champion Royal Kobayashi in 3 rounds in Tokyo. Kobayashi had lasted 5 rounds
vs Alexis Arguello and 10 rounds vs Roberto Duran when Duran was a
Featherweight. Next was Ryu Tomonari in a small city of Thailand. He lasted
2 rounds.

G—mez kept on going until his streak reached 33 knockouts in a row.Those 33
knockouts in a row included his biggest victory ever, a 4 knockdown, 5 round
defeat of Mexican world Bantamweight champion Carlos Zarate, who was 55-0
with 54 knockout wins coming into their San Juan bout. Also included in that
streak was future world champion Leo Cruz, beaten in 13 rounds at San Juan.
After recording his 33rd. knockout win in a row, he moved up in weight to
face the dangerous champion Salvador Sanchez of Mexico. Not realizing
Sanchez was a sensational champion on his own , G—mez undertrained and lost
a brutal bout by a knockout in 8 rounds in Las Vegas. Puerto Rico was
shocked by G—mez's defeat, and G—mez himself learned a lesson in life: to
never underestimate a foe.

Hoping to get a rematch with Sanchez, G—mez went back to the Jr
Featherweight division, where he got a dispense from the WBC to make 2
preparation bouts before defending his title again. He did so and won 2 non
title bouts in a row , both by knockout in the 2nd round, one over the
capable Jose Luis Soto, who was a stablemate of Julio Cesar Chavez back in
Culiacan, Mexico. A win over future world champ Juan 'Kid' Meza in Atlantic
City followed, but all chances of a rematch with Sanchez were dashed when
Sanchez died tragically in a car crash outside Mexico City the morning of
August 12th , 1982. Mexico mourned their gone champion, and all of Latin
America joined Mexico in their pain. G—mez, who was training to defend
against Mexican Roberto Rubaldino only 5 days later, took a quick trip to
Mexico to offer Sanchez flowers and then returned to Puerto Rico the same
afternoon. He beat Rubaldino by knockout in 8 rounds and made 1 more title
defense, against the great Mexican bantamweight world champ Lupe Pintor in
the Carnival of Champions in New Orleans, winning by knockout in 14 in a
wild and historic fight. The Pintor contest was the only time a G—mez fight
was showcased on HBO.

By the time he was done with the Jr Featherweights, G—mez had established a
division record of 17 defenses, and a world record of most defenses in a row
won by knockout, all his defenses finishing before the established distance limit.

He then re-tried winning the Featherweight title and this time, he achieved
his dream, winning his second world title by dethroning the durable Juan
Laporte, a fellow Puerto Rican who had won the title left vacant by
Sanchez's untimely departure. He beat Laporte by a 12 round unanimous
decision. This time, however, it didn't last that long. Ahead on all
scorecards, G—mez was the victim of a rally by Azumah Nelson of Ghana who
knocked him out in 11 exhiliarating rounds in San Juan, December 8, 1984.
Nelson himself proved a great champion and future hall of famer by making a
string of defenses in the Featherweights and becoming a 3 time world
champion himself later.

G—mez wanted either a rematch with Nelson or a shot at Jr Lightweight world
champ Rocky Lockridge of New Jersey, whichever came first. Lockridge was
first to knock on the doors, and the 2 battled an exciting 15 round bout in
San Juan, G—mez being given an extremely close 15 round decision, which many
experts have said Lockridge deserved, but also which in the opinion of most
who saw it life, was a justified decision.

This reign also came to an end quick, G—mez being handed his 3rd loss at the
hands of young Alfredo Layne by knockout in 9 rounds. Layne proved he wasn't
an exceptional champion by losing the title in his first title defense, and
it became obvious G—mez's best years had gone by, so he retired after this fight.

G—mez tried a comeback in 1988 and 1989, but after winning 2 more bouts by
knockout, he realized boxing wasn't in his heart anymore and retired for
good. He later moved to Venezuela, where he made a few wrong decisions and
ran into trouble with the law. But, as a true champion, he rebounded and is
now back in Puerto Rico, being an exemplary citizen and getting his life
back on track, and helping the legendary 3 time world champion Hector
'Macho' Camacho with the training of Camacho's son Hector 'Machito' Camacho
Jr., who is a prospect in the Jr Welterweight division.

G—mez is also a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and, during
July of 2002, plans to take his life to Hollywood's big screen were announced.

G—mez had a record of 44 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, with 42 knockout wins.