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Michael Gomez Boxing
Autograph
An 8x10 Photograph signed by British Boxing
ChampionMichael Gomez.
Michael Gomez
£15.00
Michael Gomez had a pretty shaky start to
his career in 1995 losing two of his first three bouts,
but showing the typical tenacity and appetite for a challenge,
he came back better in his second year as a pro.
However it wasn't until 1997 when he fought
Wayne Jones (6-21-2) scoring a TKO that he was to embark
on a 19 fight unbeaten run as an up and comer, culminating
in national awareness of his abilities as his fights were
often showcased on Ricky Hatton cards from 2000 onwards.
It was in 1999 that Gomez won his first title
of note, a stoppage win over Chris Jickells (11-22-0) to
win the vacant Central Area featherweight title. However
it as a super-featherweight that Gomez has truly made his
mark. A brief trip stateside saw him box in Atlantic City
against William Alverzo (15-4-0). It was his next match-up
that brought him to the attention of the boxing public,
a resounding thumping in two rounds of much heralded Gary
Thornhill (16-1-1 a the time of the bout). This won Michael
the British super-featherweight Title.
By the end of 2000, Michael had added WBO
intercontinental bauble to his growing list of titles and
defended the British title a further three times against
Dean Pithie (19-2-1), Carl Allen (13-22-2) and Carl Greaves
(20-4-0).
Seemingly Gomez had the world at his feet,
his crowd pleasing all-action style and undoubted aggression
and will to win gaining him fans from far and wide.
However, all was not well with Mike.
Rumours of disruptions in his private life
(he was stabbed in a street altercation in Manchester),
court appearances, lack of training and blatant disregard
for his diet regime, all came back to haunt him when he
was stopped against Laszlo Bognar (25-3-1) in nine rounds
in 2001. To his credit Gomez came back to avenge this defeat
in the very next bout, both men being floored twice in the
three rounds it lasted.
But this just masked the problems outside
the ring.
After dispatching overmatched prospect Craig
Docherty (12-0-1) in two rounds, Mike was to meet up and
coming Londoner Kevin Lear (12-0-0). Gomez was noticeably
drained after only a few rounds, Lear established dominance
and dished out some punishment that many thought could be
career ending for the Mancunian.
As is Michael's way, he always seem to bounce
back, twice as hard and twice as good, and after a couple
of four-rounders, his biggest moment of glory to date came,
when he went to Edinburgh to take on the much vaunted “world
class” prospect Alex Arthur (16-0-0).
This was one of the best fights in recent
years between two British boxers, Michael mugged Arthur
in five brutal rounds on Alex's home turf.
