Fantastic boxing memories Azumah Nelson wins first world title against the Great Wilfredo Gomez

Well, I think Gomez's absolute peak was '78 to '80. The loss to Samchez definitely took something from him as a fighter and it you watch the documentary about him, he wasn't even taking the Sanchez fight very seriously in the lead up to it. His focus had changed as he was a huge star in Puerto Rico. After he lost to Sanchez, he was still good enough to keep retaining the super bantam title but the war with Pintor took a lot of his best as well.

So by 1984, he was on the slide but a fighter as good as Gomez was still good enough to outbox Juan LaPorte and he managed to pick up a third title at super feather against Rocky Lockridge (horrible decision, in my view). I think from the outside the decline may not have been as obvious but people in his camp who cared about him knew he wasn't the same fighter.

Regardless, it was a great win and a brutal finish by Nelson.

 

I do think that Wilfredo Gomez's absolute best was against knockout artist Carlos Zarate in October 1978.

 

I remember Azumah mentioned Barry McGuigan on the nationally telecast title defense against Pat Cowdell who was vanquished very very early in 1985.

 

Don't forget the Professor's Granite chin.

 

Personally, John, I rate the Professor very highly. In fact, I pick him over MAB, EM and JMM at 126 although not all in the same night lol.

 

Being a fan of Azumah's, I ****ing love this post lol.

 

He'd beat a lot more than just that too.

 

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