Antonio Gomez ~ "El Leon de Cumana"

[Bill Paxtom]

Antonio Gomez

May 30, 1969

* Antonio Gomez ~ 20-2-0 {7 KO's} ~ 5' 6" ~ 127 lbs. ~ {Age; 23 years, 8 months}
vs.
* Gustavo Briceno ~ 15-0-0 {1 KO} ~ 5' 9" ~ 129 lbs. ~ {Age; 22 years, 2 months}

A 'rematch' of the their 1st-Bout on November 4, 1968.

This will be the '1st' 10-Rounder for Antonio Gomez.
__________________________________________________ ________________________

~ Antonio Gomez Proves The Better Man, TKO's Briceno In 9th ~

In a rematch of their early bout last year {November 4, 1968}, Antonio Gomez halted
'undefeated' Super-Featherweight - Gustavo Briceno at {2:22} of Round 9.

Fighting at a height-and-reach disadvantage, Gomez rallied in Rounds 7 and 8, as the
thin-bodied and 'lanky' Briceno faded after fighting well thru the first 5-Rounds.

In Round 9, Gomez sent Briceno reeling after slamming his body with a barrage of hooks,
and then caught his tall opponent with a left-hook to the jaw that dropped him for a '7-Count'.

Gustavo Briceno rose on 'unsteady legs', and the Referee - Victor Rojas called a halt to the
bout as Briceno wobbled backwards.

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ August 22, 1969

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Manager - Ramiro Machado is brining his 'highly-touted' Venezuelan Featherweight - Antonio Gomez
to California.

Antonio Gomez {Age; 23 years, 11 months} and with a record of 23-2-0 {9 KO's} will fight
#3 World-Rated Featherweight - Dwight Hawkins with a record of 51-19-6 {35 KO's}.

The bout will be on the undercard of the 'highly anticipated' WBA Bantamweight Championship
bout between Champion - Lionel Rose and #1 Challenger - Ruben Olivares.

Dwight Hawkins {Age; 31 years old} is an experienced veteran, and the Los Angeles-based
Featherweight is 'one-win' away from a World Championship bout.
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Ramiro Machado {Manager} >

"I'm bringing my fighter {Antonio Gomez} here to showcase his talents. He's as good as any
Featherweight in the World today."

"If I could, I would put him in the Ring with;
WBC Champion - Johnny Famechon or WBA Champion - Shozo Saijo, and feel confident that
he would win, and with convincing fashion."

"I expect Antonio to handle the American veteran {Dwight Hawkins} with very little trouble.
We are a decided underdog {3-1} in the Newspapers. But that is because the boxing writers
have never seen Antonio fight. They will be surprised on Friday Night."

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ August 22, 1969

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

~ Venezuelan - Antonio Gomez 'Upsets' #3 World-Ranked - Dwight Hawkins ~

~ Venezuelan Sends Hawkins Out Of The Ring In The 10th, Wins By KO ~ ~

In the First-Bout of the evening at The Forum, and in front of a crowd of 18,549 who paid
$270,545.

Antonio Gomez 127 lbs. {Caracas, Venezuela} 'upset' Dwight Hawkins 124 lbs. for a Knockout at
2:18 of the Final Round {Round 10}.

Hawkins, a 31 year-old veteran and #3 World-Rated Featherweight was the Heavy-Favorite
at {3-1}, but he met his match tonight.

Both Hawkins and Gomez displayed fine ring-work and boxing-skills over the first 5-Rounds,
as each scored with fast jabs, and quick 'one-two' punches on the inside.

But starting in Round 6, the 'almost' 24 year-old Venezuelan started to put good combinations
together, and had the Los-Angeles-based Hawkins retreating.

Gomez had Hawkins bending over from several hard body-blows in Rounds 8 and 9, and the
end was looking near for the 31 year-old Hawkins.

Mid-way thru the Final Round, Gomez 'staggered' the fading veteran with a series of combinations,
and then had Hawkins in serious trouble after landing with a 'right-left-right' to the head at the {1:50 Mark}.

Hawkins was 'wobbling' on shaky-pins as he backed to the Ropes, and tried to defend himself.

But then Gomez stepped in, and delivered a 'solid combination' to the 31 year-old veteran's chin, and Hawkins
went though the Ropes and upon the Ring Apron, where he was 'counted-out' at {2:18} of Round 10.

After The Bout >

Manager - Johnny Flores 'immediately' retired his fighter Dwight Hawkins after this bout.

[Bill Paxtom]

September 1969

After Antonio Gomez defeated {KO 10} #3 World-Ranked Featherweight - Dwight Hawkins
on August 22, 1969


~ WBA Featherweight Ratings ~

*** Shozo Saijo
#1 . Godfrey Stevens
#2 . Vicente Saldivar
#3 . Johnny Famechon
#4 . Fighting Harada
#5 . Allen Colter
#6 . Jose Legra
#7 . Antonio Gomez
#8 . Jose Jiminez
#9 . Alfredo Marcano
#10. Vicente Garcia

~ That is some tough 'Top 10' ~

[Bill Paxtom]

September 29, 1969

Nuevo Circo ~ Caracas Venezuela

{#7} Antonio Gomez ~ 25-2-0 {10 KO's} ~ 5' 6" ~ 128 lbs. ~ {Age; 24 years, 0 months}
vs.
{NR} Francisco Bolivar ~ 47-9-1 {25 KO's} ~ 5' 7" ~ 130 lbs. ~ {Age; 29 years, 1 month}
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The #7 WBA-ranked Featherweight - Antonio Gomez will take on Venezuelan countryman -
Francisco Bolivar.

Francisco is a 10-Year Professional, and is one of the 'trickiest' fighters around at 130 lbs.

Francisco is also coming off an 'Upset' 10-Round Decision win over the highly-regarded
Colombian ~ Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes only 45-Days earlier, on August 15, 1969
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~ Gomez Wins 'One-Sided' Decision Over Bolivar ~

Antonio Gomez {128 lbs.} got off to fast start in this Super-Featherweight bout, and never
looked back.

The 24 year-old World-Ranked Featherweight shook up 'veteran' Francisco Bolivar in
Rounds 2, 3 and 5 > and then cruised to an easy 10-Round Decision.

Bolivar was no match in hand-speed against the younger Gomez, but the veteran was tough
on the inside, and did land his 'fair-share' of body punches in the late-middle Rounds {6 and 7}.

But, Gomez put the 'wood' to Bolivar in Rounds 8 and 10, as he had the veteran backing away
and covering up.

Scorecards
* 98-92
* 98-93
* 98-94

Ramiro Machado {Manager} >

"It was a good bout for Antonio. Coming off that big win in America {The Forum in Inglewood, California}
on August 29th over Dwight Hawkins, I was worried about a let down."

"It was a near one-sided Decision over a real tough 'veteran'. Francisco Bolivar is no soft touch,
just ask Antonio Cervantes."

[Bill Paxtom]

Antonio Gomez 'El Leon de Cumana'

Originally,

Antonio was an 'apathetic and cold' type of boxer, emphasizing 'The Art of Fencing' {defense}.

Though Antonio had a 'great defense' he was not a fan favorite with the Latin Boxing fans during
his first 2-Years as a Professional.

[Bill Paxtom]

November 10, 1969

Nuevo Circo {New Circus} ~ Caracas, Venezuela

{#7} Antonio Gomez ~ 25-2-0 {10 KOs} ~ 5' 6" ~ 128 lbs. ~ Reach; 67" ~ {Age; 24 years, 2 months}
vs.
{#17} Antonio Cervantes ~ 47-7-3 {16 KO's} ~ 5' 9" ~ 130 lbs. ~ Reach; 72" {Age; 23 years, 11 months}
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World-Rated Venezuelan - Antonio Gomez takes on Colombian - Antonio Cervantes.

Both fighters are 'managed' by Venezuelan - Ramiro Machado.

Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes had moved from Colombia to Venezuela in 1968, to get better 'money' fights,
and to improve his skills against better competition.

Th word here is, that this will be a 'close fight'.

Though 'Kid Pambele' claims to be {Age; 23 years 11 months}, some of the Colombian Sportswriters stated
that Cervantes was really 3 years older.

And, Cervantes probably had an additional 25-Bouts on his ledger in the small-clubs of Colombia on his ledger.

Colombian Sportswriter - Jaime Santoves stated that > Antonio Cervantes 'true record' was closer to > 69-9-4 {23 KO's},
and he was an 'all box' and 'little-punch' thin-rail boxer.
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~ Gomez Edges Cervantes By Decision Over 10 ~

In a battle of jabs and defense, it was Antonio Gomez who edged out Colombian - Antonio Cervantes over 10 Rounds.

Gomez {128 lbs.} giving up 3" in Height, and 5" in Reach, withstood the constant left-jab of Cervantes {130 lbs.} during
the first-half of the bout, to get inside and pound the body of the 'reed-thin' Colombian over the last 3-Rounds to capature
a close Unanimos Decision.

Throughout the first 4-Rounds, Cervantes used his left-jab like a 'broom-stick handle' to poke Gomez in the face and
around the eyes.

Realizing that he could not 'out-jab' the Colombian, Gomez slowly closed the distance and worked the body of Cervantes
with short hooks to the ribs during Rounds 5, 6 and 7 while employing a 'keen defense'.

With the bout 'close on the scorecards',
Gomez fought faster than Cervantes over the last 3-Rounds, and used his shorter reach on the inside where he stayed
busy working the Colombian's ribs with constant '2-Punch' combinations during Rounds 8, 9 and 10.

Scorecards
* 96-94 > {6-4-0 in Rounds}
* 97-95 > {5-3-2 in Rounds}
* 97-95 > {5-3-2 in Rounds}