Antonio Gomez
Encyclopedia
Antonio Gomez is a former professional boxer who fought in the featherweight
division. Gomez won the WBA
world featherweight title in 1971.
. After scoring a knockout
over Blanco, Gomez won six fights, all in Caracas, before Domingo Bastidas became the first man to beat him—scoring a third round knockout in their September 2, 1967 contest. Gomez managed a run of eleven victories before losing to Gustavo Briceno, for his second defeat, on November 4, 1968.
Gomez fought for the first time outside of Venezuela on February 12, 1970, when he travelled to Inglewood, California
to beat Gil Noriega by an eighth round knockout. It was in Inglewood, on September 5, 1970, that Gomez won his first title, as he beat Fernando Sotelo for the NABF featherweight title. Gomez won four more fights, one in Mexico
and three in Venezuela, before making his first world title challenge.
On September 2, 1971 Gomez travelled to Tokyo
to successfully challenge the Japan
ese WBA world featherweight champion Shozo Saijo
. Gomez knocked Saijo down three times in the fifth round before the referee called a halt to the action. Following this fight Gomez won a non-title bout over future lightweight
champion Esteban De Jesus
before losing a disputed decision to Raul Martinez Mora—also in a non-title fight.
The rematch between Gomez and Mora occurred on February 5, 1972—this time for the WBA title. Gomez knocked Mora down twice in the third round before ending the fight with a seventh round knockout to retain his title. In the next defence of his title Gomez fought the Panama
nian challenger Ernesto Marcel
in Maracay
. Gomez finished the fight with a bloody face as he lost his title to Marcel by a majority decision.
Gomez fought to a draw with Hyun Kim before travelling to Panama City
to face Marcel in a rematch for the WBA title. Marcel, watched by 15,000 fans, dominated the fight and Gomez suffered so much punishment that he was unable to continue for the twelve round. Gomez fought six more times before his final professional fight on November 1, 1975—when he fought to a draw with Miguel Betruz.
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
division. Gomez won the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world featherweight title in 1971.
Professional career
Gomez made his professional debut on February 28, 1967 against Eduardo Blanco in CaracasCaracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. After scoring a knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
over Blanco, Gomez won six fights, all in Caracas, before Domingo Bastidas became the first man to beat him—scoring a third round knockout in their September 2, 1967 contest. Gomez managed a run of eleven victories before losing to Gustavo Briceno, for his second defeat, on November 4, 1968.
Gomez fought for the first time outside of Venezuela on February 12, 1970, when he travelled to Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
to beat Gil Noriega by an eighth round knockout. It was in Inglewood, on September 5, 1970, that Gomez won his first title, as he beat Fernando Sotelo for the NABF featherweight title. Gomez won four more fights, one in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and three in Venezuela, before making his first world title challenge.
On September 2, 1971 Gomez travelled to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to successfully challenge the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese WBA world featherweight champion Shozo Saijo
Shozo Saijo
Shozo Saijo is a former professional boxer from Saitama, Japan. He is a former WBA featherweight champion.- Biography :...
. Gomez knocked Saijo down three times in the fifth round before the referee called a halt to the action. Following this fight Gomez won a non-title bout over future lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
champion Esteban De Jesus
Esteban De Jesús
Esteban De Jesús was a Puerto Rican world lightweight champion boxer whose life was full of controversy, problems and scandals. De Jesus, a native of the town of Carolina, Puerto Rico, was a gymmate of Wilfred Benítez and an acquaintance of Benitez's mother, Clara Benítez. He was trained by...
before losing a disputed decision to Raul Martinez Mora—also in a non-title fight.
The rematch between Gomez and Mora occurred on February 5, 1972—this time for the WBA title. Gomez knocked Mora down twice in the third round before ending the fight with a seventh round knockout to retain his title. In the next defence of his title Gomez fought the Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian challenger Ernesto Marcel
Ernesto Marcel
Ernesto Marcel is a retired Panamanian boxer.-Career:Making his professional debut as a teenager in 1966, Marcel built up a record of 31-3-1, which included a second round knockout of Bernardo Caraballo, who had previously fought Fighting Harada and Éder Jofre for world titles, and a tenth round...
in Maracay
Maracay
Maracay is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of the Girardot Municipality. The population as per the 2001 census was 750,000...
. Gomez finished the fight with a bloody face as he lost his title to Marcel by a majority decision.
Gomez fought to a draw with Hyun Kim before travelling to Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
to face Marcel in a rematch for the WBA title. Marcel, watched by 15,000 fans, dominated the fight and Gomez suffered so much punishment that he was unable to continue for the twelve round. Gomez fought six more times before his final professional fight on November 1, 1975—when he fought to a draw with Miguel Betruz.