The ''Black panther'' targets Wladimir Klitschko.

[paul750]

February 6, 2007

by Lee Bates



You fought about a month ago, are you in great shape?

''I am in great shape now and always remain that way, even between fights. My trainer, Phil Paolina, makes sure that my boxing skills stay polished in between fights, so that I am on top of my game, regardless of who I am fighting. I know a lot of people are wishing I would just go away, but that's not happening. I am here to stay.''

In your 32 victories at cruiserweight, you stopped 28 of your opponents, and now in your seven victories at heavyweight, you have stopped six of those opponents. How were you able to bring the power with you up to heavyweight?

''I'm a very good boxer, as many people have known back from my amateur days to the present, but I am very good puncher as well. My KO Percentage shows that.''

Was it a hard decision for you to give up your title at cruiserweight?

''It's never easy to let go of something that you worked so hard for, but I accomplished a lot at cruiserweight. The amount of defenses I made of my title may not be matched for years, if at all. Also, I moved up to heavyweight to win the biggest prize in boxing, which is the heavyweight title.''

Out of your 42 fights, 39 of them have been in Germany. In fact, the fans in Germany have never seen you lose. What's the support from the fans like for you there?

''They treat me with the utmost respect and back me 100%. After so many fights in Germany, I want to deliver a mega-fight for them.''

I take it you mean with Wladimir Klitschko?

''Absolutely. I want Wladimir Klitschko. The fans here in Germany want that fight. In Germany, a fight between us both is a mega-fight. I have full confidence in my manager Jesse Rodriguez, and my promoter Arena-Box Promotion to make that fight happen. My team has been working around the clock pushing for this fight.''

He has a fight scheduled, as do you. Are you looking to fight him after these fights, assuming both of you win?

''That would be perfect. That way, we both could get a fight in before meeting each other. It's a fight that can be easily made as well. I will become a mandatory eventually, but to me, it doesn't make sense to make it come to that. With a win on Saturday, I would also win one of the sanctioning bodies’ regional titles, which would move me up in rankings, making me an acceptable challenger for his world title. To me, it makes business sense. It's not a fight that has to be built up. It's a big fight right now.''

In closing, what would you like to say to your fans?

''My fans are very loyal. I thank them for standing by me at all times. I ask that they continue to stand by me and keep believing in me. Fans’ opinions matter in making big fights as well, and I hope they will really push for a heavyweight title fight between me and Klitschko.''

[paul750]

Gomez is the only heavyweight I can think of who could out-box Klitschko, the other danger men for Klitschko [The likes of Sanders and Briggs] would only be dangerous early on looking for a knockout IMO.

[BrooklynBomber]

Uhmmm..........NO.
Wlad is much bigger and got some great o-skills, are u trying to tell me your boy will beat him at the jabbing game?

[paul750]

Uhmmm..........NO.
Wlad is much bigger and got some great o-skills, are u trying to tell me your boy will beat him at the jabbing game?

Gomez has an 80inch reach and is 6' 3½, he could give Klitschko a lot of problems with a fleet-footed approach. There's no other guy like Gomez in the divison. Byrd is the closest thing Klitschko has came to facing that kind of fighter, but Byrd is smaller, has less power, and doesn't has the same feet as Gomez, he only had good upper body movement.

I believe Gomez can beat him, yes.

[BrooklynBomber]

Gomez has an 80inch reach and is 6' 3½, he could give Klitschko a lot of problems with a fleet-footed approach. There's no other guy like Gomez in the divison. Byrd is the closest thing Klitschko has came to facing that kind of fighter, but Byrd is smaller, has less power, and doesn't has the same feet as Gomez, he only had good upper body movement.

I believe Gomez can beat him, yes.

And uhm, Gomez cant take much of a punch either.
Anyways, it will most likely play out like Elisey Castillo fight, where fleetfooted Castillo was running away from Wlad for 6 rounds, then got timed and ko'd. And dont give me that Gomez will be on offensive and try to attack wlad from all the different angles cause thats exactly what will not happen.
He will most likely stay on outside, and will try to play Zab on him by jumping in, scoring a few jabs and looking for an opening. And, umm, that will get him ko'd.

[Tong Po]

LMFAO!

Way to go BrooklynBomber, shooting his arguement to **** before he even managed to give an explanation.

[paul750]

And uhm, Gomez cant take much of a punch either.
Anyways, it will most likely play out like Elisey Castillo fight, where fleetfooted Castillo was running away from Wlad for 6 rounds, then got timed and ko'd. And dont give me that Gomez will be on offensive and try to attack wlad from all the different angles cause thats exactly what will not happen.
He will most likely stay on outside, and will try to play Zab on him by jumping in, scoring a few jabs and looking for an opening. And, umm, that will get him ko'd.

He can take a punch, but there's no point going over the Diaz fight time and time again and explaining the circumstances. Castillo is no Gomez; I've not really seen much of him, but prior to meeting Klitschko his only meaningful win was against a washed-up Michael Moorer, that tells me all I need to know. He's doesn't have Gomez's talent or pedigree.

Gomez has deceptive power, which a lot of people don't realise. His quick combinations will be a hell of a lot harder than Chris Byrd's. Gomez said he used to spar with giants all the time, and while that may be no preperation for a fight against Klitschko, he does have a lot of experience boxing big guys.

Klitschko has had trouble with Mercer's jab and Corrie Sanders' quick hands, among other things, so to say he may have trouble with one of the most naturally gifted boxers in the world is certainly not ridiculous.

Long jab, fast hands, deceptive power, fleet footed, incredibly talented boxer who can unleash every punch in the book from different angles....... I'd say people would be silly to write the ''Black panther'' off.

[Welter_Skelter]

He can take a punch, but there's no point going over the Diaz fight time and time again and explaining the circumstances. Castillo is no Gomez; I've not really seen much of him, but prior to meeting Klitschko his only meaningful win was against a washed-up Michael Moorer, that tells me all I need to know. He's doesn't have Gomez's talent or pedigree.

Gomez has deceptive power, which a lot of people don't realise. His quick combinations will be a hell of a lot harder than Chris Byrd's. Gomez said he used to spar with giants all the time, and while that may be no preperation for a fight against Klitschko, he does have a lot of experience boxing big guys.

Klitschko has had trouble with Mercer's jab and Corrie Sanders' quick hands, among other things, so to say he may have trouble with one of the most naturally gifted boxers in the world is certainly not ridiculous.

Long jab, fast hands, deceptive power, fleet footed, incredibly talented boxer who can unleash every punch in the book from different angles....... I'd say people would be silly to write the ''Black panther'' off.

OK PAUL I respect you.. and I am not trying to flame.. So I wont even mention any names.. But do you really think Gomez could handle Wlads power???

[paul750]

OK PAUL I respect you.. and I am not trying to flame.. So I wont even mention any names.. But do you really think Gomez could handle Wlads power???

Well the simple answer is I don't know. He's not exactly a fighter who takes a lot of clean shots. I'm not saying I'm 100% confident he'd beat Klitschko or anything like that, but I do think he's possibly one of the only guys out there who could potentially hang with him in a boxing contest.