Wilfredo Gomez

[Spicoli]

It's interesting looking back. I figure Tito didn't really waste time for a couple of years if he had guys like Jones Jr and Jim Lampley talking about a potential "super fight" regardless of 20+ lb difference. Largely based on Roy always going on about the p4p rankings but he talked that up more than a couple times. But I like the idea of fighters fighting the best in their same division first here . The thing is of all mentioned Tito had and kept his momentum and arguably most of his top matches were still ahead of him. And Oscar was ahead for all of them save for Lopez. Lopez was really a risk reward situation and as fun and tough as he was he was also all over the map. Dude was a character as they say. Smoked a lot, blew up in weight after battering Yori Boy and career burned at both ends rather quickly. He wasn't helped by winning the wbo strap as it was still at the time pretty much dismissed and major bodies were not siding with it. Honestly save for the Chavez and McGirt II fights for Whitaker his parallel run with Tito at 147 was not all that super stellar. Was impressed with taking title off 154 Vasquez tbf. McGirt entered with a literal torn bicep in first fight and still held his own very close to point of a rematch. Whitaker and Tito were close and targeted 96'ish with HBO having a double header. Tito wanted it and said so often. Likewise Whitaker but big picture and momentum wise they were going in opposite directions. And some of Whitakers outside the ring habits may have been catching up. After the 'build' card Whitaker goes in with Rivera and imo lost a very close tough fight where he underperformed and had to have a rematch. It would have been excellent had they met prior to 99' but all the same politricks we see today helped trip it up. Cross promotion squabbles, tougher tune ups than expected and the stars not aligning perfectly. What an era nonetheless. They are all intertwined and were active ! fighting champions.