Michael Gomez answers challenge, now let’s start talking
Jon Thaxton and his team today read with interest in Boxing News that Michael Gomez was willing to step into the ring with him, even in his beloved Norwich answering a challenge set down by Thaxton, Gomez said he wanted a warm up fight first, but then would fight Thaxton, anytime, anyplace before Christmas at lightweight.
Thaxton’s promoter Neil Featherby had the following to say on the news that Gomez was up for the fight.
“We are prepared to make him a very substantial offer and one where he could only refuse for one reason only. We are happy to start talking right away if he is happy too. I have had discussions only today with our backer with regards the sum of money that we feel it would take to get him to the table and I feel confident that we can meet this. Perhaps I’m being naive, but having a reasonable idea with regards purses at this level, I’m pretty sure we are in a position to make it happen and we have a date of December 3rd in mind.
Thaxton who turns 31 tomorrow is confident he can beat any lightweight in Europe and certainly a win over Gomez would show just where he stands in the lightweight division at present.
The twenty-eight year old Gomez who hails from Dublin but lives in Manchester is always involved in wars and is a former British and WBU super-featherweight champion who lost the WBU title last time out against Argentinean Javier Alvarez when he was stopped in the sixth round.
It would mean another Billy Graham trained opponent for Thaxton who went twelve rounds with Gomez’s stable mate Ricky Hatton in 2000, in a fight that many felt Hatton was lucky to finish after suffering a cut that required twenty-eight stitches in the first round before going on to outpoint the Norwich man.
“I have never ducked an opponent in my career†said the WBF lightweight champion, “I have fought the best light-welterweight in World as well as many welterweights and I know I am to strong for all the lightweights in Europe.
“Gomez is the one I want as he has said that all the lightweight’s in Britain are scared of him, well this is one lightweight that is not scared and I am looking forward to shutting him up once and for all†said the likeable Thaxton.
Thaxton is going through an Indian summer at the moment and since he lost in a challenge for the Commonwealth light-welterweight title he has won his last seven fights, six of them coming inside the distance. In his last fight last weekend against Vasile Dragomir, a late replacement, he knocked him out with a big right-hook early in the fourth round a fight that Gomez was invited to attend but didn’t make it.
None of Gomez’s last twelve fights have gone the distance, with Gomez winning nine of them, his losses coming to the Alvarez, Kevin Lear and Laszlo Bognar who was supposed to be Thaxton’s opponent for the WBF title before pulling out with an injury.
Certainly this one would be a cracker for the British fight fans and one that could spell the end of the one of their careers and if they can come to an arrangement would certainly be something special for the armchair fans on TV too.