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WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (left) of Mexico and Manuel Gomez, 33, of Laredo will square off in a 12-round WBO title match at 8 tonight in Las Vegas.
“I respect him outside of the ring, but once that bell rings, he is no one to me.”-Manuel “*******” Gomez’s chilling message for Antonio Margarito.
When a fighter possesses a record which reads 28-10-2 with 19 KOs, he is quickly dismissed as nothing more than one of boxing’s journeymen, walking aimlessly thorough pugilism’s valley of the dead with no right to challenge any of the sport’s elite. Should one of these damned boxing souls receive an opportunity, they are immediately dismissed as nothing more than a “tune-up” or “stay busy” affair in order to ensure that the “elite” fighter maintains his sharpness and timing for when a real “challenge” is presented.
Antonio Margarito, WBO welterweight champion, publicly finds himself in this situation as, this coming Saturday night; he will attempt the sixth defense of his title by taking on a fighter in Manuel “*******” Gomez, who is considered by most fans and media outlets as a journeyman with no real chance to win. Further proof this is that Margarito’s own promoter, Top Rank, who also promotes Gomez (although you couldn’t’ tell by the way he is being treated), has stated publicly that once Margarito takes care of business Saturday night, he will take on the winner of the Zab Judah-Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fight.
Now if you are “*******,” hearing that most of the boxing world, including your promoter, does not believe that you have a chance of winning has to be a major motivating factor. “This Saturday night, I have a surprise party planned for Antonio Margarito and Top Rank and I’m inviting all of the fans and media to attend because the welterweight division is going to have a new champion. I will beat Margarito!” said Manuel “*******” Gomez to BoxingScene.com from his hotel room at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Being underrated and considered an “opponent” is something that Gomez is used to, as throughout his entire sixteen year boxing career he has had too take fights on short notice, and fight “hometown” heroes in their backyard, often losing controversially. Still, Manuel has worked as hard as any fighter active today and feels that this title shot is long overdue.
“I fought tough fighters my entire career and have never shied away from hard fights. When I challenged (“Sugar” Shane) Mosley for the IBF lightweight title, I heard all of the same criticisms from the public and media about me not having a chance, but I went in there and gave him the toughest fight of his lightweight career and he is considered an all time great at the weight.”
Manuel continued, “I knocked out Kofi Jantuah, and beat Miguel Angel Gonzalez and in both of those fights, I was supposed to have lost and even been knocked out. I have fought the likes of Jesse James Leija, Rogelio Tuur, and Diobelys Hurtado throughout my career and have always given great fights. I won those fights, but I feel that I did not get the decisions.
This coming Saturday night, I will prove to everyone that I belong by completely out-boxing and overpowering Margarito. Many believe that I’m a three-to-four round fighter with nothing more than a heavy right hand, but I’m going to put on a boxing clinic and I will show that I have great power in both fists to go along with some very underrated boxing skills. This is going to be my night and no one will take away my moment!”
At age thirty-three and with a journeyman’s record of 28-10-2 with 19 KOs, “*******” completely understands that this is his last opportunity at a world title. The Laredo, Texas, resident decided to take his preparation on the road and seems ready to pull off the upset.
“I moved my training camp to Mexico City, Mexico, and had the honor and privilege to train at Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain’s gym. I ran in the mountains every morning and sparred rounds without end with tough, hard and hungry fighters. I also got the opportunity to train alongside a world class fighter and champion in Juan Manuel Marquez who is getting ready for his own defense. We sparred against each other and would run together. It was a great experience for me and I can truly say that I am, without question, in the best shape of my boxing life. I am sharp and I am fast. I am hitting harder than I ever have and can go twenty rounds.”
Gomez continued, “The fight fans and media are going to see a very different Manuel Gomez on Saturday. I know that I am stronger than him and I know I hit harder. I know that I have a lot more boxing ability and know that he cannot beat me."
"If he wants to box, I will box circles around him. If he wants to brawl, I will hit him harder than he has ever been hit and I will not back down. I respect him outside of the ring, but once that bell rings, he is no one to me. I am physically and mentally ready for this and I can promise everyone that this is going to be one hell of a fight and I know God has me destined to win and I will win!”
In closing, Manuel said this, “I would love to thank my friends, family, and both my hometowns, ‘Los Dos Laredo’s, for their love and support. I’m bringing the title home for all of you. Also, thank you very much “Nacho,” the Marquez brothers and everyone at the boxing gym for all of your help. Get ready to have a party because I’m going to win.
The best way to describe Margarito would be to say that he is a welterweight version of Jose Luis Castillo, with not as sturdy of a chin and with a lot less boxing aptitude, as Castillo can really box. All of the aforementioned traits make for a high risk, low reward fighter which results in avoidance, but calling him “underrated” because of this avoidance is just not accurate.
His boxing skills are very limited and his defense is practically non-existent. He throws very wide looping shots, leaving himself open for counters, and has poor balance. He also telegraphs the majority of his shots and has nothing in the way of lateral or upper body movement. Plain and simple, he is what he is, which is a come-forward mauler who relies heavily on his conditioning and heavy hands to wear his opponents down and outwork them over the course of a fight. He does not have much of a variety in his punch arsenal so is usually predictable.
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