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Puerto Rican power-punching great Wilfredo “Bazooka” Gomez, three-time world champion in three weight classes, leads the global voting process in the Bantamweight Division of the “World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” (WGEB) promotion.
Gomez holds a very slight advantage against the other nine “WGEB” official Bantamweight nominees: “Panama” Al Brown, Manuel Ortiz, Eder “Golden Bantam” Joffre, Ruben “El Puas” Olivares, Carlos Zarate, “Joltin’” Joe Chandler, Hozumi Hasegawa, Kid Williams and Orlando Canizales.
On-line voting at www.GreatestEver.com allows boxing fans from around the world to select the greatest boxer in each of the original eight weight classes, highlighted by the all-time pound-for-pound “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer.”
Gomez (44-3-1, 42 KOs), who has committed to attending the “WGEB” weekend (Dec. 11-13) with numerous legends, defeated nine world champions – Zarate, Rocky Lockridge, Juan LaPorte, Lupe Pintor, Juan Meza, Leonardo Cruz, Juan Antonio Lopez, Royal Kobayashi and Dong Kyun Yum – during his incredible 15-year pro career (1974-1989).
All three of his losses were to world titlists, including a pair of fellow “WGEB” nominees, Salvador Sanchez and Azumah Nelson.
A 1972 Puerto Rican Olympian, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Gomez has one of the highest knockout win percentages (95.4%) in boxing history, and his 32 straight knockouts was the longest streak by any world champion. “Bazooka” first captured the WBA Super Bantamweight title in 1977, stopping Yum in the 12th round, and Wilfredo went on to make 17 successful title defenses of that belt, winning all by knockout.
His most memorable victory was a 6th round technical knockout of Zarate (55-0) in their 1978 battle of unbeatens for Gomez’ WBA belt. Three years later, Gomez moved up in weight to challenge WBC featherweight champion Sanchez, who won by 8th round TKO but died in a car crash before Gomez got a rematch. Gomez went on to capture the WBC featherweight (WDEC12 vs. LaPorte in 1984) and WBA super featherweight (WDEC15 vs. Lockridge in 1985).
The winners in the eight divisions, plus “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer,” will be announced Sunday, Dec. 13, the final day of a three-day celebration of these outstanding boxers in The Paris Las Vegas.
The weekend of events Dec. 11-13 at the Paris Las Vegas include a USA vs. The World pro-boxing show on Saturday (Dec 12). Final results of the global on-line vote at www.GreatestEver.com will be announced Sunday (Dec. 13) at “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” black-tie awards dinner. Tickets to the dinner are available at www.greatestever.com or via MMG in Las Vegas (702 617 9730). The Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF) is the official charity.
Tickets for the US vs. World pro boxing show are priced at $150 (Super VIP), $100 (Platinum), $80 (VIP), $65 (Gold) and (newly added) $40. The fight card plus hospitality packages are priced at $500 (Super VIP), $400 (Platinum) $250 (VIP) and $150 (Gold), as well as for the Greatest Ever Dinner Awards Ceremony and Entertainment at $1000 (Super VIP), $800 (Platinum), $450 (VIP) and $250 (Gold).
For all USA ticket sales for the World’s Greatest Ever Boxer event please contact: MMG Marketing & Consulting, 702 617 9730, 1771 Flamingo Road, Suite 216A Las Vegas, NV. 89119 Email: WGEB@marketingbymmg.com
Fight tickets for Saturday December 12 are also available via the Paris Box Office on 877 603 4386.
