I wouldn't pick anybody over him with any confidence. Amongst guys who actually fought at 122, Pacquiao is probably your best choice. But Pac was a bit more of a straight gunslinger at the lower weights and I think he'd be walking into fire. Barrera and Morales would give him some trouble but I think Gomez would adjust accordingly. For a curveball, I'll nominate Olivares. I think he could make 122 comfortably and it'd be interesting to see how Gomez would deal with a guy who was more or less his equal as both a technician and a puncher.
I don't think that one weakness was ever really exposed much at 122. He was dropped in his title winning effort but it was at featherweight where he started to look a bit chinny and he wasn't in his prime there. Not saying that there's no-one at 122 who couldn't have landed a good crack on it - Pacquiao with his speed and power might have been able to - just that I'm not sure how much of a real weakness it was at this weight.
If it was just that flash KD, I’d agree. However, on two other occasions in the first 3 rounds of that fight he was badly hurt by single shots. This is even more troublesome when you realize his opponent Yum was never any kind of puncher. Could’ve just been an anomaly, though. Certainly not a pattern.
I tend to think it was just a bad night in the office, like Sanchez vs Escobar. I'm sure someone like Zarate's shots would've been a bit more damaging if it wasn't.
Yeah, I hear you. Funny thing is, from round 4 on Gomez/Yum is one of my favorite performances. Gomez looked like the best fighter ever.
Honestly pal, it's one a them ones. I have seen it, but it was late at night with about seven other Gomez fights, so it all kinda blends together. But yeah, Gomez at 122 was a brilliant little fighter. One of the best.
When I see Wilfredo Gomez's name and 122, I think of the time in the late 1970's when he fought in New York and a boxing insider said, "What the hell is a 'super bantamweight'?"
When he used his movement (say, before 1982), he was almost perfect. His legs were really his best weapon then, I think.
If Gomez stops Fenech it's only after a tough competitve war with both taking a beating, he dooesn't "destroy" him, no way.