The Real Michael Gomez, by Jeff Thomas (on BBN)

Former professional Jeff Thomas recently attended the latest fight in the career of Michael Gomez and gives a candid behind the scenes look at the show.

I arrived at the Dalziel Park Hotel in Motherwell at about seven o'clock; two hours before fight time. The venue was an absolutely beautiful set up, modern buildings with polished floors and beautiful receptionists, it was the kind of place one would enjoy brunch with ones associates and an unlikely setting I thought, for the anticipated Mike Gomez slugfest for which I had traveled up from Blackpool to see.

I had spent a great deal of time with Michael and his trainer Kevin Maree at their Colne training camp in the build up to the fight assisting with sparring and taking part in painful circuits which reminded me why I had retired from the sport. For this, I was rewarded with an all access pass to watch one of my favorite fighters' of all time in their immediate preparations before an important contest.

On arrival I met Kevin at reception and we made our way to the changing room. The ‘home fighters' changing room was to be occupied by a local lad Eddie Doyle, his team, Birkenhead's Steve Williams, Shea Neary, Benny King, Yassine El Maachi, Kevin Maree and a so far absent Michael Gomez. The atmosphere was one of nervous anticipation, the local lad was making his debut- always a worrying event and Steve Williams was taking a big step up in class against dangerous Dean Hickman.

Yassine El Maachi greeted Kevin, and Kevin introduced me to a man who he claimed was one of the finest hidden talents in the British Isles . I was slightly skeptical. I know Kevin is fantastically dedicated to his charges but the prospects he talked about for this man were almost as crazy as the ramblings Mike would occasionally treat us to in camp. Meeting El Maachi for the first time was very fun and the guy has an infectious personality that is sure to make all but the most ardent depressives crack a smile. His confidence certainly didn't seem like that of a man who had gone just 1-4 in his first five bouts as he took time to shake hands with everybody in the room.

Doyle's team was completing the formalities of getting their man into the right frame of mind. He was on first and he paced the changing room nervously on a night that I'm sure he'll always remember.

Meanwhile it was great stuff watching Shea Neary, a complete gent out of the ring but animal in it, talk quietly and calmly to his protégé preparing him for what was sure to be a tough test. Steve Williams listened intently as Neary delivered his near silent pep talk. I then realized that it had been 10 years since I had watched him live, stopping Andy Holligan in an incredible punch fest in 1998. I was 16. I'm starting to get on a bit I thought……..

The door to the changing room opened and one of the finest British Champions of my generation made his way through the busy room. The calmness of the dressing room lasted about the time it took for Gomez to make his way from the door to his particular corner of the room. Lonsdale belt in hand everyone looked up stunned as he let out an incredibly loud 'COME ON!!!' El Maachi matched his battle cry with an equally loud 'COME ON IRISH!!!- And then proceeded to put Gomez' Mexican hat on with little else, staring in the mirror briefly before rampaging round the changing room like a mad man.

With El Maachi doing virtually naked biceps poses in one corner of the changing room asking bystanders what they thought of his physique and Gomez busy vocally and physically psyching himself up in the other I wondered how long it would be before we were moved to a ‘special' room.... No chance of that though the other two teams were uplifted by having these two characters in the changing room and it wasn't long before everyone in the room was broadly smiling, ready to go to work.

El Maachi was extremely keen to catch the build up on his personal camera and my friend whom I had brought with me was placed in charge of filming the build up and fight. I had heard lots from Kevin previously about Yassine but I had yet to see him in action. As I watched him on the pads I had to admit to been pleasantly surprised. His power and accuracy was spot on as he hit the pads with all the class of a TEAM GB representative.

Young Doyle returned to the changing room pleased with a debut victory and we got the call to go through to the ring. We walked through the Hotel and once close to the room in which the bouts were taking place El Maachi waited just outside of public view for his music to start before launching into one of the most bizarre and confident ring walks I have ever seen. The crowd was on their feet throughout cheering his entrance as Yassine aka The Showman meandered through the throng's hi-fiving punters like he'd won his fight already. Once Yassine had finally danced his way into the ring I noted that the size disparity between the two fighters was enormace. Ambler is a very tall chap with a nice style but a lazy approach- probably having a lot of ambition drummed out of him by a career of unforgiving matchmaking. However those who have watched him will concede that he can move a bit and is certainly more capable then he believes.

Having watched Ambler beat talented Nigel Travis a year or so ago and not seen Yassine in action thus far I was slightly anxious for El Maachi about the puzzles he was very shortly to be posed by Amblers height and reach advantages. Introductions were completed and the bell rang for round one. Within seconds El Maachi had moved brilliantly into punching distance as Ambler-confused by Yassines' style barely threw a punch in anger. Over hand right hooks and straight lefts sounded around the room like fireworks as El Maachi literally took him apart. The fight continued in this vain with the exception of a brief fight back from Ambler near the start of round two. The referee made a perfect intervention, stopping the fight in the third round-Ambler in trouble and taking punishment for which he had no answer. As the result was announced the crowd unanimously saluted what can only be described as a mightily impressive performance from someone with talent and potential that far belies the images that may spring to mind when glancing at his win-loss record.

On arrival back to the changing room Gomez' warm up was well underway. He had changed into his familiar three quarter length shorts. His already volcanic temperament was further catalyzed by the fact he was adamant that certain people behind the scenes were desperate to derail what must surely be his final title run. A fiery Gomez let rip into the pads with impressive industry as he finalized his weeks of training with a pinpoint display of power punching. The request came for him to make his way to the ring as news filtered back to the changing room of Steve Williams' commendable victory- but Gomez and trainer Kevin Maree took their time before Gomez nodded his head and bolted out of the door. The entire dressing room emptied creating an entourage Floyd Mayweather would have been proud of, as Gomez made his way purposefully through the halls of the hotel towards the low ceilinged room where the ring and crowd sat waiting.

Certain fighters like El Maachi take their time getting to the ring, milking the entrance. Gomez is the opposite he literally marched from the changing room to the ring without one look to the crowd or stopping for his music... The whole approach really struck a cord with me and I thought 'that is how you make an entrance'.

Gomez was clearly the home fighter as the crowd loudly cheered his walk to the ring but Long looked unperturbed and ready for his big night. Long is a tough looking man and was in very good shape, more a competitor then a journeyman and not the type to fiddle his way through the rounds. We had seen videos of him and he looked pretty capable albeit at a lower level. Gomez went to work early and moved round the ring before closing distance and engaging in a fairly prolonged, opening exchange.

The difference in power was very apparent Gomez shots were immediately having an effect on his bigger opponent and it wasn't long before Chris started to appear marked up and flustered. Gomez' footwork was pin-point and his infighting as always was something to behold as he turned Long off balance time and time again before landing smashing left hook counters. Long would occasionally reply with a few quick shots of his own but he was fighting at a pace he clearly wasn't comfortable with and early on It looked as though a stoppage was likely.

 

This impressive work ethic continued into the late stages of the fourth at which point Long suddenly landed a hurtful combination of punches. Gomez shook the punches off with and landed some cracking shots of his own but that was probably the greatest success Long managed during their bout. Gomez returned to the corner with a small cut and Benny King leapt into action quickly removing any threat that the laceration posed.

Gomez' workrate and head movement dropped off in the last two rounds. He was still well in charge but the tough finish may have given a casual observer the lasting impression that Mike had once again being forced to grind out a points win against an overmatched opponent. Personally I saw a lot of promise in Michael's performance, particularly in the first four rounds where he looked extremely creative and refreshingly motivated. It became tough and grueling late on but overall I was impressed with the performance if not surprised by the result. I think that a championship fight against a good opponent would see Gomez' concentration and motivation greatly improve.

Back in the bustling changing room, now full of congratulating fans and fellow fighters, Gomez sat quietly next to his smartly dressed young son as the doctor pinned shut the small gash on the side of his face.

'Love you son number one' he said to his nipper. His son just looked up at him proud as punch. 'Love you too dad!'

It was a very sweet moment and one that I think best demonstrates the difference between the real Michael Armstrong and his showbiz alias Mike Gomez; a long way removed from the loose cannon he so keenly projects to all he meets. The real Michael is a shrewd, intelligent man who will realize he is certainly playing through the final chapter of a fabulous career.

I hope his efforts will be rewarded by a title shot in the near future.

It was a great night and one I'll never forget...

 

Great article Jeff :good.