Antonio Gomez ~ "El Leon de Cumana"

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ February 14, 1970

'The Forum' ~ Inglewood, California

"Main Event" > World Welterweight Championship > Jose Napoles vs. Ernie Lopez

Attendance .......... { 17,091 }
Gate Receipts ..... { $228,417 }
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

{#5} ~ Antonio Gomez 'El Leon de Cumana' {Caracas, Venezuela} ~ 26-2-0 {10 KO's} ~ 127 lbs.
vs.
{#20} ~ Gilberto 'Good Night' Noriega {Mexico City, Mexico} ~ 34-1-0 {30 KO's} ~ 128 lbs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Featherweight battle between two young contenders.

The 24 year-old Venezuelan {Antonio Gomez} has moved up into the #5 World-Ranking
slot, and appears headed for a Title Challenge against WBA Champion - Shozo Saijo.

The 22 year-old Mexican {Gilberto Noriega} is a pure 'knockout artist'. Gilberto goes by
the nickname of "Good Night", as whoever he hits, goes to sleep.

Gilberto is being billed as > Tthe 'new' Mexican Knockout Artist."

He's a 5' 6" stand-up fighter, who comes in straight. He's a good puncher, but has little
defense and cannot get out of the way of straight punches.

Gilberto won his first '27-Bouts', before getting stopped {L TKO 7} by Richard Sue here at
'The Forum' on November 4, 1968.

Gilberto went back to Oaxaca, Mexico to re-group. In 1969, Gilberto went undefeated at 7-0-0
with {6 KO's} and has gotten back in to the Top 20 of the Featherweight Division.