Wilfredo Gomez Appreciation Thread

It's unfortunate that many fans, even hardcore fans, mainly remember Gomez for the Sanchez loss.

Everytime I rewatch fights of the prime 122 Gomez (as I did this morning, against Rubaldino) I realize, at Superbantam he truly was one of the best fighters to ever put on gloves, and he deserves his own appreciation thread.

When he used all his tools, he was as complete a fighter as there's ever been. His skill level was enormous, he had some of the best footwork in history (top 5-10), his reflexes were superb, and he threw BEAUTIFUL combinations to the head and body.

Just the perfect fighting machine at 122, and no, there's no guy I favor over him at 122. I had previously said Jofre, but now I'm thinking that's incorrect. I think Gomez was too dynamic and talented for even the great Jofre at 122.

P4P, I would have to say Gomez was the best fighter ever below featherweight.

 

The Lopez fight, in particular, demonstrates his phenomenal footwork, and Meza fight his incredible combination punching.

Overall, the best talent PR ever produced.

 

Isn't Gomez that dude who got knocked out by Sanchez?

 

You should be forced to watch Hatton vs Castillo on a loop for 24 hours straight.

 

@George Crowcroft I can only imagine there's a fair share of idiots on ESB General who probably think Inoue could beat Gomez.

 

I've unironically read on there that Donaire, Rigondeaux and Rungvisai would 'out-class' Gomez.

 

Rungvisai vs Gomez??

LMFAAOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Bazooka would blow out Rungs, Choco, and Estrada in the same night.

 

Gomez would chew Rigo up and spit him out. I would argue that Wilfredo actually had better reflexes than Rigo, and he for sure was just the more balanced, more versatile technician.

His footwork would be Hell for Rigo to get a read on, then Gomez, after hurting Rigo at distance, would start to physically bully him, and break him down with body shots.

The heartless Cuban would decide he's had enough by the 8th or so.

 

I don't Rigoblin's glassy mandible could take a flush combo from Gomez. As soon as Gomez has him felt out, which wouldn't take long IMO, due to Rigo being quite one dimensional (despite being a wonderful defensive counter-puncher), Rigo goes sleep. Gomez in five or so for me. Actually, I'd probably take both Pinter and Zarate over Rigo. Can't see Donaire doing any better.

Rungvisai gets fucking hurt by all three.

 

I think I'm gonna rewatch Gomez-Yum later tonight.

Gomez gets dropped early, and has a shaky start, but once he gets warmed up, my oh my what a boxing prodigy you see.

 

I have to watch some more Gomez. Besides Pintor, Sanchez and Nelson, are there any other broadcasts in English? Not that it's a huge deal, but all else equal...

 

There's some, of course. Of those I just listed, I know the Meza fight is in English, cause that was on CBS.

Plenty of Gomez fights were on CBS. His destruction of Derrick Holmes also comes to mind.

 

Oh Doub, the Lopez fight is in the English - the second one down I posted. I forgot, I haven't watched it in awhile. I would start with that one, definitely. That performance really is Gomez at his apex - beautiful footwork and skills. He was an unbelievable talent.

 

My father remembered Gomez from 1970s amateur world championships (amateur boxing was shown here back then, pro fights were not).

Gomez won the gold in flyweight and it seemed astonishing how a guy with strings for arms knocked everybody out

 

Yeah, its weird. He didn't have the frame and build of a puncher at all. Yet somehow, generated freakish power.

A lot of it had to do with how talented he was offensively, but the rest was just natural power.

Edit: Actually, now that I think about it, Gomez had broad shoulders and thick legs for a super bantam. That might be the source of the power.

 

Gomez should have boxed against Sanchez, and I've said this many times.

Would it have changed the outcome? Probably not, Sal likely just had his number.

But had Gomez boxed and used his legs it wouldn't have been the one sided beatdown it became.

He made the mistake of going to war with Sanchez from the opening bell.

 

Even though Gomez was much more accomplished than Inoue, I don't see them being in totally different levels. Inoue hits like a mofo and seems to take a good punch too. If Gomez won, he would know he had been in a fight

 

No, Gomez was a different level, and I like Inoue.

Inoue is discussed as the possible P4P #1 in an era with Loma, Canelo, and Crawford.

Gomez was discussed as the P4P #1 with Leonard and Duran around. They are not the same... at all.

Let's be realistic... Inoue just went life and death with a Donaire far removed from his prime.

How are we gonna discuss Inoue being a comparable level to Gomez when as of right now he would still be an underdog to Zarate?

There's many bantamweights in history who would have an argument for beating Inoue, let alone the H2H GOAT below 126.

Gomez would have destroyed Inoue.

I know you're prone to recency bias, but fucking goodness what a ridiculous statement.

Inoue has beaten nobody to be considered the level of Gomez.

 

It wasn't life and death. It was a hard, bruising affair against one of the bigger punchers of recent years and Inoue never went even down. Also, Inoue's style suited Donaire perfectly. Apart of that bout, Inoue has trashed everything that has been put in front of him.

Even though 70s-80s was a better era, it does not mean that nobody from this era could be competitive at all

 

Inoue has never fought even fought at 122 yet, UGO!

How the Hell can you say he's on a comparable level to the 122 GOAT?

Based on what????

He's never even beaten anybody as good as Alberto Davila yet, and Gomez destroyed Davila before he won the title.

Considering your limited scope of history, Mr. "Martinez, Barkley, and ohhh yeah, some guy named Joe Brown" have you EVER considered that you should educate yourself more before making these statements?

 

And if you wanna comparable them just on ability, Gomez takes that too.

He was both a better puncher, and a better boxer than Inoue, with a better offense and MUCH MUCH better defensive skills.

 

Should you learn to simmer down perhaps?

I never picked Inoue. I said I don't think they are on different levels as fighters, and I maintain that. And even if they were, you don't know it as of yet.

This is the logical mistake you make, time and time again:

Picking Mike Tyson before the Berbick fight to beat Joe Frazier would have been baseless. Frazier accomplished more and fought on the better era. Yet, picking Tyson over him would have been the CORRECT pick.

Now, Gomez accomplished much more than Inoue, I already said so. He also fought on better era. So does that mean that no fighter from this era could ever be as good as him? Methinks not. Inoue has done very little wrong do far (just like Tyson did very little wrong, and Inoue has more credentials than Mike did at that point).

If by educating you mean 'learn to make logical mistakes and always pick the former era guy", then sorry, I am not planning to do that.

And again, I didn't pick Inoue, and no, Joe Brown is not Ray Robinson

 

Your logic is fucked.

You're essentially trying to say that Inoue is on Gomez's level until proven otherwise. Until proven that he's not.

I'm saying that he has PROVE himself on Gomez's level, and with his level opposition he has yet to do that. He's still a FAAARRR way off.

All I know is, a faded Donaire is not lasting long against Gomez. I know that Nonito is a durable guy, but Gomez would have battered him and taken him out in far more impressive fashion than Inoue did.

Inoue has to walk before he can run. Right now, the jury is still out on him beating the bantamweight greats. And you're essentially saying, he's already over that level, let's go ahead and anoint him to the same level as a guy BETTER than all the bantamweights.

And no, Joe Brown was not Ray Robinson, but he was far better than Martinez and Barkley, and you made yourself look comical writing him off in that post as if he were Robert Easter or something.

 

Brother, Frazier beats Tyson under Joe's ruleset.

And Inoue isn't Mike Tyson lmao

 

Had you ACTUALLY said this, we wouldn't have had a problem in the first place. You said they were different level of fighters.

That can only mean that 1) you meant accomplished-wise, which was never the question 2) you meant, according to your eye-test, which often goes wrong or 3) you meant that a fighter of this era is automatically worse than a fighter of that generation, which is,indeed, some fucked up logic.

 

Oh yeah, that's right. They have different names and everything

 

Watch it there, prodigy! Now you're talkin fighting words .

I think Mike stops Joe. Always have, always will. Just a terrible style matchup for Frazier.

 

Right now, they damn sure are different levels of fighters.

The burden is on Inoue to prove that they're on the same level.

Both accomplishment wise, and talent wise, Gomez was on another level.

Gomez was one of the 10 most gifted fighters who ever lived, if I'm being honest.

Inoue is in contention with Loma, Bud, and Nelo as the most gifted fighter of today.

 

But aren't you saying here that Inoue, nor anyone else, can ever reach Gomez' level? Since the era is poor, Inoue won't be able to prove himself, no matter what he did.

 

Alright, I'll say this, and think this is fair: Inoue would have an easier time selling me that that they're comparable in a P4P sense, than selling me he could beat Gomez H2H.

Inoue would have to move up 122, and absolutely obliterate 122 for many years, because that's what Gomez did.

Right now, no... I do not think Inoue would have any chance at all of beating Gomez at 122. Not even a puncher's chance, because Gomez's chin wasn't weak at 122.

Gomez was better at damn near every single facet of boxing.