Hasim Rahman comes to mind. He's tough, resilient, with good power, but I never thought he was that good.
Vitaly Klitschko thought Haseem was good enough to avoid fighting him at all costs, and even retire, rather than facing "The Rock"
More on shitty Gamez.... Tams Rant: Champion of the World/s. By Me Ok, it’s a Saturday morning and I’ve woken up in a foul mood. I got to thinking about the sport I love and wondered; "What pisses me off?†There’s a lot, let me tell you. I’m an angry young man. But today, I’m picking on something intangible. The word 'World Champion' I hate it. I get sick and tired of hearing guys everyday, telling me how good X or Y are, because of they’re a ‘world champion’ and have beaten a number of other ‘world champions’. World Champion? Whoop-de-freaking-do. This, most sacred of positions and eventual goal for 99% of professional fighters the world over, has become something of a joke. Why? Because, the word 'Champion' just ain't what it used to be. I mean, come on. In the golden era of the sport, there were 8 weight divisions out there and one world champion, for each of them. Now doesn’t that make sense? One man, being recognised above all others and he has a strap to prove it. Today, we have SEVENTEEN weight classes and four recognised world titles for each of those divisions. Some simple math tells me, that 17 x 4 = 68. That’s right, at any one-time, we could have 68 fighters running around calling themselves “Champion of the worldâ€. Eight champions, or sixty eight champions. Which do you think better exemplifies the true meaning of “World Championâ€? Just how many godamn worlds are there that we’re fighting over? Roy Jones has faced 20 world champions and defeated 16 of them. That’s facts, Jack. Scary numbers aren’t they. I mean, who can argue with such re-enforcement? Those numbers mean that Jones is a great. Right? Well, if you can stomach fighters like Eric Lucas, Sugar Boy Malinga, Jorge Vaca and Otis Grant, being called 'World Champion' in the same sentence, as Henry Armstrong, Ray Robinson and Willie Pep, then I guess you'd have no trouble stomaching a car accident either. Want more? Alright then, lets dig deeper and find the best living example of how ‘greatness’ is not a label you can throw on a fighter, simply because of that word ‘Champion’. Our subject for today is that little man, from Venezuela, Leo Gamez. Never heard of him? Read on and it will be a name you can refer too, for years to come. The Case of Leo Gamez Not only has Leo been in with and beaten more world champions than you can poke a stick at, he's also managed to be a four weight champion. “Hot damn!†I hear you say. Three weight champion? Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales are only three weight champions; this dude is a hall-of-famer! Right? Bzzzz! Wrong. I won't hate on Gamez too badly, because at times he's been a quality fighter and his resume is pretty damn impressive for a lighter weight guy. (Of, late anything sub 126 pounds, usually reeks of fighters who want to hold onto their belts, rather than fight the BEST available competition) Back in '88, Gamez won the vacant WBA 105 pound crown, just after the belt was first created. Yes, he was the first WBA Strawweight champion, ever. He vacated that belt a year later and campaigned at 108. After twice losing to long time champ, Myung-Woo Yuh, he moved to 112 and attempted to win a title there, again, being turned back. Where to now? Well, when 108 pound champion, Yuh, retired, an opportunity did arise. He took Yuh's old belt in yet another vacancy fight and he held it for a couple of years. He didn't really beat anyone impressive and then lost it to former WBA 105 pound champion, Hi-Yon Choi. Well, now we've lost our belt, its time to go up and find another one. One year after being removed as WBA 108 pound king, Gamez finds himself once again, challenging for the WBA 112 pound championship and is again unsuccessful. Could this be the end? No way. A rigorous schedule gets Gamez back into a position to challenge again. Yes, two fights over the space of three years has Gamez knocking loudly on the door of the fearsome, Hugo Soto, the then WBA 112 pound champion. Three rounds later and Gamez is a three weight champion. Oh happy day. Instead of defending his belt, Gamez takes a shot at the WBA (seeing a trend yet?) 115 pound interim championship. He wins the fight in 8 rounds. Four weight champion? Good gravy, it might happen! Unsure of what to do (and also being the proud, holder of 2 division’s belts) Gamez decides to defend his WBA 112 pound crown. The move is proven to be the wrong one and he finds himself splattered after 8 rounds. Ugh oh, time to get out while the WBA still look upon me with fond eyes and concentrate on that 115 pound title instead. He takes on defending champion Hideki Todaka and stops him in 7 rounds. Gamez is now officially, a world champion in four weight classes. But before he can make one successful defence, he is again KO'd, this time by someone who could actually fight quite a bit, Celes Kobayashi. Now, after being an esteemed four weight champion, at age 38, surely he'd be forced to pack it in. Right? Bzzzz! You're wrong again. 20 months later, Gamez appears in a WBA Bantamweight championship match, with the fearsome Johnny Bredahl. Gamez loses on points. What about now? Finished this time? Nah-ah, you already know what’s coming. Because Bredahl doesn't make his mandatory defence of his title in time, the WBA 118 pound crown goes up for grabs, in an interim title fight and guess where our man is? Ya huh. He's in the thick of it. Former victim, Todaka turns the tables on him, beats him over the distance (albeit a reasonably well contested fight) and now Gamez at age 40 would have to be fini.....well, what’s another two years? In 2004, Wladamir Sidorenko, (the current WBA 118 pound champion) was to fight in a final title eliminator for the WBA #1 contender position. The winner of the fight gets a shot at the title. His opponent that night is none other than, Mr Gamez. Not surprisingly, Sidorenko dominates Gamez and claims the #1 contender position. At age 42, Gamez still fights on. What’s the moral of this story? If your name is Leo Gamez (oops, and you're Venezuelan...did I just say that?), the WBA will do ANYTHING for you. Let’s look at a quick timeline: 1988: Gamez wins WBA 105 title. 1989: Gamez drops WBA 105 title. 1990: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA 108 title. 1990: Gamez again unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA 108 title. 1991: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA 112 title. 1993: Gamez wins the WBA 108 title. 1995: Gamez loses the WBA 108 title. 1996: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA 112 title. 1999: Gamez wins the WBA 112 title. 1999: Gamez wins the interim WBA 115 title. 1999: Gamez loses the WBA 112 title. 2001: Gamez loses the WBA 115 title. 2002: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA 118 title. 2003: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA interim 118 title. 2004: Gamez unsuccessfully challenges for the WBA #1 118 ranking. What a World We Live In This story in today’s boxing world is all too familiar, in modern times. You’ll see the same names repeatedly popping up in the rankings, even after a multitude of unsuccessful challenges. This is not a problem which is strictly confined to the WBA either, it is just that they are a very easy target for this, due to Gamez’ nationality and the WBA just happen to be an organisation run out of Venezuela. Names like Omar Sheika (4 straight title fight losses), Wayne McCullough (6 straight) and Miguel Angel Gonzalez (No wins in last 5 title shots) are continually rolling around and being handed chance, after chance, after chance. As a fighter, you take these shots. You’d be silly not to. As fans, we are being short changed, but it’s the unlucky fighters who are passed over for these fraudulent challengers time and time again, that are the biggest victims. In the end, all you really need to remember is this. Eight world champions, or sixty eight of them. Anytime someone wishes to sit down and debate this topic with you, just remember that fact and it is an impossible discussion to lose. Who said world champions weren't what the used to be?
gamez is the man. it was inspirational seeing him kick the shit out of todaka. he's better than joppy.
Iran Barkley. He was an exciting fighter but was not overly talented. He just happened to have Hearns' number.
That was the first name that came to my mind when I saw the title of this thread. Though thinking about it now, he really isn't one of the best examples.
Superb article. :bears: Especially the part about guys like Sheika and Gonzales getting one (losing) title shot after another.
